


Safe as Houses, Safe in Arms

by anarchycox



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Angst, Bobby will always be an amazing Dad to Dean, But there are still canonical deaths, But when they get going OH MY!, Hunter AU, Hunter Dean, M/M, Murder, Not Canon Hunter though, Slow Build, Tattooed Dean, This story has ended up funnier than I thought, Vampire Benny, Violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-07-14
Updated: 2016-08-21
Packaged: 2018-02-08 21:42:39
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 14
Words: 30,367
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1957116
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/anarchycox/pseuds/anarchycox
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The Winchesters are hunters. They have been since Mary was murdered by a demon. It took them a couple years but John Winchester found it and killed it, but as like most, got sucked into the Hunter Life. He trains his boys to hunt and they excel but Sam hates it.  He gets a full ride and heads off to Stanford, keeping sort of in touch with Dean (they see each other every six months). Eventually Dean and John just go their separate ways, their hunting styles are too different. Dean is a damn good hunter, but word is slowly leaking out that he occasionally lets monsters go, other hunters start to distrust him. He lets a vampire Lenore go, and Gordon Walker beats the hell out of him. Dean is alone, tired, and a little broken and sitting in The Roadhouse when a stranger offers him a very strange job.</p><p>Chapter 14 is bonus art</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue Part One: Dean Gets a Job Offer

**Author's Note:**

> Couldn't stop myself from starting another one. I'm sorry (not really). I've been working this out in my head for awhile, it will have a lot more sex and violence than my previous stories. It will take awhile to get the sex and violence though, because you know I like character and world building.

Ellen slapped a couple of ice packs and a shot of whiskey on the bar. Dean murmured a thanks and she just smacked him up the head, "What were you thinking letting a vamp go? What were you thinking let a vampire loose when Gordon Walker had been shadowing you? That guy is six kinds of crazy when it comes to fangs!"

Dean brushed a hand against the bandages binding his ribs, he thought they were only cracked, but he was in too much pain overall to tell. "She hadn't eaten a person in two years. I don't kill what isn't killing, you know that." It was simple line, but it was one that had caused him and his dad to go their separate ways.  If it isn't killing, Dean don't touch it. That left plenty of things that needed to be ganked, but John felt once a monster always a monster.

Dean rarely took a partner, preferred just trusting himself, but it did lean to more injuries than he would care for.

Ellen sighed, "Boy, you are going to be the death of me, let alone Bobby." She threw some left over pain meds on the counter and Dean tried to give her a winning smile - it caused his lip to start bleeding again.

He swallowed the pills with his Jack Daniels and asked for a burger. Ellen told him it would be up in ten and he made his way to a table.  He couldn't help but notice the other hunters giving him dirty looks. Gordon had already been spreading word that Dean had let a monster go, and others were talking, rumours, stories of him freeing some others. He wished Sammy was with him, but he was in his first year of law school and had moved in with his girlfriend Sarah.  In undergrad he had been with a sweet girl Jess, but he had decided to switch to the east coast for law school and had met art curator Sarah and was just sunk. They were a good couple and the times that Dean had hinted at Sam hunting with him had been rebuffed. Dean tried to not let it hurt.

Jo brought the burger over and dropped it on the table.  She glared at him, "You let monsters go?"

"Only if they ain't really monsters." he tried to reply calmly, easily. She huffed and walked away.  Ellen was more sympathetic to his personal code, but Jo was young and filled with tales of her heroic father.

Dean ate in silence, wanting to be out of the bar as quick as possible, he knew he couldn't handle a confrontation.

It was only as he was wiping his mouth, that he noticed how quiet the bar had gotten. When he looked up it was empty, dead silent, except for a man sitting at the bar, looking dead at him.

Dean automatically reached for his gun, but the guy smiled, "Hey Dean-o, you won't need that.  Everyone's fine, just wanted to have a chat with you, all personal like." The guy was fairly nondescript, average height, average looks, but Dean could tell there was power under the skin. He still reached for his weapon. The guy sighed and sprinkled salt over his skin, touched the iron fixings on the bar and gave a quick slice with the silver blade Ellen kept by the beer, "We good?"

Dean relaxed a fraction.  He didn't trust this guy, but at least he wasn't a demon. "What do you want?"

The guy shrugged and ate some M&Ms, "Just to chat, been keeping an eye out, hearing things, seeing things. You aren't a usual hunter."

Shit, Dean thought, this is either going to be really good or really bad. "So?"

"So, I am here representing an unusual collective and we have a job offer."

"If it's a hunt, why are you just asking me? Plenty of good hunters out there." Dean shifted his shoulders, wanting to be as ready for anything as his sore body could handle. He blinked and the guy was sitting beside him. He blinked again and all his pain and injuries were gone.

"There, now you can focus better. We don't want you for a hunt." Dean wondered what had the power to fix his injuries with just a snap of his fingers.

"As I said, it's a collective. We have a house, we need a caretaker."

Dean snorted, "I ain't no gardener." He shifted away from the smaller man.

"Not that sort of caretaker. The house is sort of a safe house, if you would. Lenore is currently a guest." Dean looked back at the man. "I see that got your attention."

"Maybe" was all Dean added.

The guy put a wad of cash on the table and a business card on top of it.

"We need someone who knows lore, who can hunt, but also understands that not everything that goes bump in the night is completely bad." The man stood up. "The job would let you settle in one place for awhile, build up some cash and keep your skills honed.  If you are interested show up in the next three days.  If not, burn that card, salt and bury the ashes. We can't have just anyone finding us."

The stranger winked and the bar came back to life.  Dean looked at the cash, it was at least 500 dollars. He then picked up the card, which had a bunch of different symbols embossed on it, including the anti-possession symbol he had tattooed into his skin. Briefly an address could be seen. 

Dean hummed, looked like he was heading towards the west coast.


	2. Prologue Part 2: In House Interview

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dean arrives at the place listed on the card. There is sort of an interview.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So here we wrap up the base set up of this story. This part is going to have a fair bit of exposition, and handwaving and the excuse of magic to create the space that I need. After this we'll get into the bulk of the story. Long intro is long.

Dean didn't push too hard on the drive, wanting time to think. He kept fingering the card that had been left. He looked at the address again and again, but it was just a set of co-ordinates and when he looked it up, it was just a bit of forested area not too far outside the small town of Port Orford Oregon. What interested him more were the symbols embossed on the card. He had taken a photo and emailed the image to Bobby.  When he stopped for the night and called the old man all he got told was, that the image had come up black, there was nothing to see. Dean tried to explain the various items on the card, it was like his voice was just stopped, words wouldn't come out.  All he could tell Bobby was that he was headed west and would call again in a couple days.

Eventually he reached Port Orford and asked around a bit at the bar, if anyone knew of anything 20 minutes down the road. All he got was blank stares, and mentions of some hiking trails.  He called it a wash and spent the rest of the time flirting with the bartender. She made good company that night.

He had left her just as the sky was lightning up to a cool grey. As he drove along the ocean beside him, Dean had to admit there were worse views. He had visited Sammy a couple times in California, but it was too sunny, warm, the ocean calm.  This was wilder, more in tune with what he liked. He looked at the business card, looked at his map, and looked at a whole lot of nothing in front of him. He was beginning to think that it was a prank when out of the corner of his eye he could see a road.  It was a dirt and gravel stretch, but clearly well maintained.  It lined up with what he was supposed to be looking for, so he headed on down.

It seemed like it went for a mile or two, before opening up to a wide drive.  He stopped the car and stared. Whatever he had been expecting it wasn't that fucking Pemberly would be in the middle of the woods in Oregon. Then he wondered how he even remembered/knew what Pemberly was - must have been mentioned by some chick into Jane Austen. He could never tell what random bits of trivia would stick in his head.

He stepped out of his car, unsure of what to do, where to go.  A sleek, muscled, and very large dog came trotting up to him, and sat down politely, holding out a paw.  Dean shook.

"Well, you passed the first part of the interview." It was the same voice that had been in the Roadhouse.  And indeed there was the guy, sucking on a lollipop, leaning against the doorframe.

"Oh?" was all Dean asked.

The guy smirked, "Yup, the hell hound didn't eat you, even seems to like you."

Dean paused and looked at the dog, who looked like it was almost smiling, "Hell hound? I thought humans couldn't see them?"

There was a shrug, "You must be special then, that or there is a whole bunch of magic floating around this place to help that sort of thing."

Dean started to walk to the man and the dog trotted alongside him happily.  When the two got to the door, the stranger said, "oh go chase some fairies why don't you?" The dog barked and ran off.

"So that was an evil, scary beast from hell?" Dean couldn't help a little sarcasm floating through.

"Hey, told you this place is all about evil being not so evil.  He ran away from his demon, ended up here.  Does good perimeter security." The guy clapped a hand on Dean's shoulder and dragged him inside.

Dean gulped a little at the size of the place. Still for all the seeming vastness, it still felt homey, more cabin or lodge like, than the ornate antique filled place he expected.

"Want a tour?"

"Sure" was Dean's reply. It was a bare bones tour, but still took almost two hours, by the time they did inside and outside.

"I have to ask, why doesn't anyone know about this place, why isn't it on any maps?"

"I believe I mentioned magic Dean-o? Some of the people who oversee this place have lots of power behind them, lots of ways to hide things in plain sight." The guy lead him to a door not too far off the kitchen.  He pushed it open and it was like a small apartment. Dean looked around, there was a decent living room, a small kitchen area, an amazing bathroom, and a nice bedroom that lead to a small patio area.  There was a door off the living room that lead to an office with a serious looking desk, a computer and a wall of t.v.s monitoring the grounds.

"So what all this would be mine if I took the job?"

"No it's all yours if we offer you the job."

"What's the difference?" asked a curious Dean.

"Not 100% sold on you yet Winchester. But if we do offer you the job, you'll accept, that's just a given, the job's too good." This time the guy conjured up a bag of Twizzlers.

Dean was getting tired of all the run a round. "Look asshole, you're the one that sought me out, so just do what you need to do, so we can get all this over with." He crossed his arms and glared.

"Fine," was all the guy said as he snapped his fingers.  A woman appeared, he couldn't tell if she was young or old, just that she looked so very weary. She reached forward and touched Dean with a hand that was thin, the bones almost visible. Her eyes blanked out and she said, "Across all worlds, all times, he holds true. Sometimes a mechanic, sometimes The Righteous Man, sometimes a killer, even somewhere an angel.  His soul is pure, even if his actions are not. He is a good choice." She let go and collapsed.

Dean wanted to collapse too, it felt like she had just sucked him through the wringer. He glance at the guy who helped the woman to her feet and then she disappeared. "What the fuck was that?"

"She's an ancient seer, can glance across the multiverse.  Apparently you don't suck. Cool, passed the second part of the interview."

Dean was done, "I think we both know that I'll pass everyone of your goddamn tests, so let's just call all this quits and you tell me what you need and I'll tell you if I'm interested."

The man pouted, "Way to ruin the drama there. You're no fun."

Dean just stared and then the stranger got all serious.

"Fine, cards on the table.  This is a sanctuary, a halfway house, a respite, a last resort, home for a good number of supernatural beings.  Your lands were destroyed you can come here.  Your people fighting a war you don't want, you can claim asylum. You're an almost forgotten god, come seek your rest. You supposed to kill, be bad, but don't want to do that, be that, you can come here.  This is a place of safety for a night, or for forever. Your job would be to make sure that that safety holds. You help out the people and creatures here, fix things, help out.  You keep the outside world out and this world in. You are also judge, jury, executioner. A fight breaks out, you end it, offer punishment if it is needed. Someone slips and goes evil you decide if they die.  Anyone from outside interferes, tries to harm one of the residents here, you kill them.  Your world is law. That is why we need to be able to trust you, we hire just any hunter most of the beings here would be dead in a couple weeks.  You, Dean, seem to understand that there is potential in everything."

The other man grew silent and it took Dean a few minutes to absorb what was said. Finally Dean asked, demanded, "give me some examples."

"Among the current permanent residents there are 3 demons, an entire fairy colony, a selkie out in the water, a couple vampires, a shapeshifter, an angel -"

"Angels aren't real." Dean cut in.

The guy smirked, "Oh yeah, they are." He continued on, "A Rugaru, a couple witches, and few other odds and sods." The man sighed, "We're actually worried about the Rugaru.  He's a good man, hasn't eaten anyone yet, but never met one that didn't turn.  He's vegetarian and mediates a lot, but if you get a hint that he is about to eat someone, you'll have to torch his ass."

Dean thought about it, "So, I'm the sheriff for this weird place?"

"Sheriff, headmaster, Judge Judy, whatever you like."

"And what happens if I fuck up?" Dean was very curious about this question.

"Depends on the fuck up. Most you get a severance package and a mind wipe.  If we have to we will kill you."

"You keep saying we, who's we, who are you?"

"Little ol' me? I'm just a trickster, some call me Loki." He smiled.

Dean smirked, "Man did they miscast you in the movies."

"I know, I'm soooo much better looking." Dean snorted.  Loki continue, "The rest are a couple gods, a cross road demon, and a regular human. We provide the oversight and keep an eye on management."

"So I'm not in this alone?"

Loki smiled, "Nah, you are backed up by Charlie. She's a computer wiz, keeps an eye on security, runs background checks on those she can and helps out when necessary.  There is also Pam a psychic who we keep on tap to watch out for any red flags, and Castiel an angel you can pray to when you need extra help.  He's a hell of a soldier, doesn't quite get people - you'll like him, and you get to pick one back up person for yourself should you run into any problems."

Dean nodded and said, "Bobby."

Loki smiled, he knew that would be the hunter's pick.

Dean decided to ask, "Perks and faults of the job."

"Perks are easy - the apartment you saw, a decent salary, health benefits. We can conjure you lots, any movie, album, book just think about it and it will appear in your room. Full access to the grounds and all the equipment.  There is a fully stocked garage to keep your car in tip top shape, we have a cook if you don't want to feed yourself. You have access to a personal armory, shooting range. And since we need you in tip top shape, the magic that work to conceal this place have the added benefit of slowing the aging process for mortals working to protect the place. You'll still get older, you can still be hurt but it will all be at about 1/3rd the rate.  You keep the job for a year you'll have only aged 4 months, ribs that should be broken are only cracked. Those burgers you love won't clog your arteries as quick." Loki bounced back a little on his heals, "Seriously don't know how you can turn the job down." He started to slurp down a milkshake.

Dean raised an eyebrow, "If the perks are that good, that means the faults are that bad."

Loki sighed, "Hoped we could just skim over that part."

"Not likely."

"Yeah there are a couple faults with the job. You can't tell anyone about it.  You can tell Bobby that you are working on something supernatural, but can't go into too many details unless or until it becomes necessary. Your dad, your brother, those friends at the Roadhouse, they know nothing.  Even if you wanted to tell them, the magics will stop your voice.  You can just disappear, or tell them you got out of the life, ended up a caretaker at a hotel, and want to be left alone for the most part.  We won't stop you from seeing them, but you don't even get to bring them into the state."

Dean thought about this seriously.  He thought about how little he had in common with Sam, who had moved on, wanted to forget his family except for maybe awkward holidays.  He thought about the fight he had with his dad the last time they saw each other, thought about all the side glances at the Roadhouse. "Okay, I can deal with that."

Loki nodded, "You can't leave a lot."

"What's a lot?" Dean asked.

"You can leave the property one weekend a month, and get three weeks paid vacation a year.  Your job is too important for you to miss, the residents need to know they can trust you, that's why all the perks are in place.  You get lots of down time, the place runs itself, but you are pretty much always on call."

"Can't say I won't get squirrely but we'll see how it goes." Dean looked at Loki's face and realized there was one major fault still left. "Dude, just spit it out."

"All those symbols on the card?  They are wards, concealments, protections from and for all manner of things. They all need to be carved into your skin.  Most of your torso elbow up will end up covered in tattooed sigils.  You would need a couple piercings too." Loki paused, "It will hurt and if/when you leave the job, they can't be removed."

Dean stepped over to a window and looked out.  There was the hell hound indeed chasing some fairies, barking wildly.  "What's the dog's name?"

Loki wondered why this was important but said, "Sprocket."

Dean smiled and turned his head to Loki, "Where's the dotted line for me to sign?"

Loki held out his hand and Dean shook it. All of a sudden he was blinded with pain, he yelled out and collapsed to his knees.  Once he had his breath back, he looked to the smiling god, "Ain't no dotted lines here boy." Loki had a vial in his hand, filled with Dean's blood, he vanished it away. Dean lifted his shirt a little and saw some of the lines and swirls that enveloped his skin.

"You owe me whiskey and a big fucking burger."

Loki snapped and the food showed up.  Dean sat down and hoped he didn't regret it.


	3. A Horny Dean is a Cranky Dean

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> We jump ahead two years and get a glimpse of how Dean has settled in. Also you know the plot actually begins.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always I am using a real town, have done some research on it, but am mostly bending it to my will.

Two Years After the Prologue:

 

Dean sat at the bar and drank his beer.  Port Orford had a couple bars and he picked the diviest option.  He had scoped the place out and was currently trying to flirt his way into someone, anyone's bed.  He had been promised a weekend off a month, but that didn't last long, there was always something going on.  This was in fact his first night off in three months, the first chance he had had for sex in six. To say he was tired of his left hand was putting it mildly.  He thought he had someone on the hook, she wasn't quite his usual type, but at this point he was passed caring.  They had been chatting/flirting for about 40 minutes now and he was going to ask her if they wanted to head out.  He was feeling confidant as she turned to grab her bag, when he heard a soft flutter.  He debated banging his head on the bar, but it was rather filthy.

The girl turned back and started a little at the sight of the man standing so close to Dean, "Um Hello" she said.

The guy tilted his head at her, "Hello, Becca" She wondered how he knew her name.  He turned slightly from her and to Dean, "you are required at home."

Dean shook his head, trying to use his eyes to tell Cas to back off; it wasn't working, it never did, "Man, I'm sure it can wait."

Cas looked at him solemnly, placing a hand on his shoulder, "Sprocket has gone into labour, I am sure she would be comforted by your presence."

The girl was inching away now, looking confused, "Sprocket is your..."

"Our dog," Cas added, oh so helpfully.

Becca started to look angry, "Wait are you two partners?"

Cas tilted his head, "Yes, you could call us such, we share a profound bond."

Dean didn't even groan when the girl tossed her drink in his face, called him asshole and stalked off. He grabbed a cocktail napkin and tried to wipe down.  He looked at his best friend and sighed, "Cas what's rule number 1?"

Cas thought about it for a second and took a small step back, "Personal space."

Dean nodded, like a teacher pleased when a student answers correctly, "And the second rule?"

"Don't be a cockblock?"

"Yup, and how did that turn out?" Dean asked.

Cas' shoulders slumped, "I don't understand what I did wrong."

"Partners often means of a sexual nature, to most people saying we have a profound bond implies relationship." Dean explained, yet again.

"But we do share a bond, I gripped you tight and raised you from the pit during your first month of employment."

"Cas, buddy, you pulled me out of a hole in the ground that fairies dropped me in as a part of a hazing ritual." Dean laughed, he could never stay mad at his angelic co-worker.  Two years and the guy was still so clueless about humanity, no matter how much Dean tried to educate him.  Still, Cas was right about them having a bond, Dean felt closer to Cas and even Charlie than his family. He knocked back the rest of the whiskey, "Let's go check on our hellhound.  How she got knocked up by a homeless German Shepard I still don't know."

"If it helps any, Becca would have not been an adequate partner for intercourse for you, she would not 'get' your desire for certain things..."

Dean groaned, "Third rule Cas?"  
"Stay out of Dean's head." Cas mumbled sheepishly as he transported them back to the sanctuary.

*****  
The next day Dean was sitting in his office when he got to place a call.  He was still grumbly about his lack of a fun time the night before, but the three puppies were kind of cute in an ugly scary kind of way.  Sprocket and the dog she took in both doing well.

Pam answered, "Hey sexy, so how much money did I win?"

"100 bucks," Dean said, adding, "I still don't understand how we let a psychic into the betting pools, I feel it has an unfair advantage."

Pam snorted, "Hey my powers don't let me know anything about animals, it was a level playing field." He could hear her puttering around her kitchen, "Speaking of playing field, sucks that Cas stopped yours last night, but you wouldn't have had a great time anyways."

Dean groaned, fuck his life, fuck his friends, "Hey you ever heard the saying sex is like pizza? When it's good it's great, when it's bad, it's still pretty good?"

"Hey if it makes you feel better, you've got some fun, kinky sex in your future" Pam said and Dean perked up.

"Really, you had a vision?"

"Nah, I just always hope for all humanity that fun kinky sex is always in their future." She laughed, she could practically hear Dean's pout.

"Any word for us on any fronts?" Dean asked more seriously.

"You're going to have an influx of a few new people soon, nothing quite triggering for me, lots in shadows.  That bathroom on the third floor does need all it's plumbing ripped out and replaced. Sam's going to propose to Sarah, she'll say yes.  No word on your dad, but I've never seen anything about him." She paused, then added, "I can't pinpoint anything, but something's been lurking in the back of my mind.  I can't get a handle on it, but I think trouble might be brewing.  I'll do some more readings see if I can sort it out."

"Keep me updated Sexy Lady, I owe you a beer."

"Damn right you do." Pam hung up.

Dean grabbed for his coffee, and realized his cup was empty.  He decided to go for a bit of a walk, and headed out.

It was still quiet around the estate, morning only reaching the west coast.  He checked his message board, no one reported in any problems at the moment.  Loki had been right that he was always on call with lots of down time.  Most of the time the job was easy, make sure all supplies were in place, keep a vague eye on the residents. He had had to break up a few fights over the two years, scared off some lost hikers too near the borders.  Mostly it was a caretaker job, sometimes he had to be a sympathetic ear, sometimes a handyman, sometimes a principal.  Only once yet had he had to kill.  8 months ago the Rugaru had snapped, and tried to eat the skinwalker on the third floor.  Everyone was sad that it had come to that.  Dean got blind drunk for three days, before losing himself in the solace of his work.

It seemed though that this was going to be an easy morning.  He made his way to the large kitchen, hoping to find some cinnamon buns.  He walked in to see Balthazar reading a newspaper, "Hey asshole," was Dean's cheerful greeting.

"Hey blueballs." was Balthazar's response.

"Seriously, does everyone know about my lack of a sex life?"

"Yes, it is all we talk about here." Balthazar smirked. Dean wondered if all angels had been sent from on high to make his life difficult. He grabbed his pastry and coffee and headed out.

He made his way to the front of the house, where there was sort of the equivalent of a hotel lobby. There was a small figure, with curly brown hair, "Crap" he muttered.

He made his way over, "I thought I banned you from here Meg."

She batted her lashes at him, "Aw, sweetie, remember you and Crowley struck a deal, I only had to stay away for 6 months, that ended three hours ago. So is my usual room ready?"

Dean looked at her sharply, and she straightened up, recognizing that face, "What you been doing in those months Meg? I ain't letting you back in if you were out there fucking things up.  This isn't a vacation resort where you take a break and go back to being evil.  You know I don't run it like that."

"I didn't kill anyone," she smiled, "may have caused some mischief, but nothing too horrendous.  Check with Crowley if you want."

"Don't need to," Meg was many things but a liar wasn't one of them, "Yes your usual space is available. Be nice to Cas this time, he still flinches when you're mentioned." Meg laughed as she walked off, making no promises.

Dean was about to head out, thinking of maybe checking on the dogs when the front door opened.

The man hesitantly poked his head inside, looked around a bit.  He walked in a moment later, wearing aviators, a cap, and a pea coat.  He glanced at Dean, "Hey brother, Lenore told me I should come here."

He was big, but it wasn't fat, but rather sturdy muscle, a well kept beard and that air of being lost that so many of their first timers had.  Dean felt a small burn of his left bicep.  The handy thing about all the markings thrust on him, was that when a person showed, the one affiliated with that monster would flare a little.  No one could hide what they were from Dean.

"So vampire?"

"Yes, sir." So polite, clearly Southern.

"How long you been turned?" Dean asked.

"Let's go with awhile."

"You know the rules about Monster Pemberly?" The guy quirked a smile at this.

"I haven't fed off a live human in five years now, but occasionally it gets hard out there. Ran into Lenore, she said I should seek some rest here. I..." the guy paused.

Dean thought he understood the problem, "You still drink human though?  Not full on animal like Lenore?"

The guy sighed, relieved that the man at the desk wasn't freaked out, "Yes."

"That's not a problem, we have a supplier, we can get you blood." Dean looked at the books, just for show.  He knew exactly how many people were currently with them, knew that had space for a vampire, the guy would actually be the only one in residence right now.

"We have a room on the second floor that should suit you, windows have tempered glass, really block out the UVs.  We will provide you with 2 blood pouches a day, three if you are really hungry. You have any talents that can help out around here?"

"I can cook." the guy said.

"Cool, can always use more decent food around here." Dean looked him dead in the eye, "You cause trouble I kick your ass.  You cause fights I kick you out.  You aim to eat anyone I cut your head off." Dean handed over a set of keys.  "I'm Dean Winchester, I take care of this place, anything you need come to me."

"I'm Benny Lafitte, it's my pleasure to meet you brother." Like all vamps the hand was cold.  He took his sunglasses off and his eyes were warm.  He looked Dean up and down, a slow smile grew on his face, "I'll certainly let you know if I...need anything." His grip tightened for a minute before he ambled away.  Dean shook his hand out, puzzling at how warm it felt.

******

Pam woke up gasping for air.  The clock read 3am as she stumbled out of bed.  Her shirt was soaked with sweat and her fingers were trembling as she hit the link to call Dean.

She wasn't surprised about it going to voice mail, "Dean, shit, fuck, Dean.  It's bad, something's coming, or something's already there - I don't know! It's after all of you, it wants to tear down the sanctuary, there is no peace, no chance, you're all in grave danger there.  Don't trust anyone, I can't see, it's all mixed up.  You were tied up, and then you were burned, bruised, beaten.  It wants you to pay for your crimes, that's all I could get, over and over pay for your crimes.  Put up extra wards, call everyone in, no one is safe.  I'll be there so-"

The one shame about being psychic was how rarely you had visions of your own life.  If she could have known, Pam would have made sure that she didn't die in a Bon Jovi t-shirt, she would have much preferred the Ramones.


	4. Uncomfortable is not a Good Excuse

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> There are concerns, there are feelings, there is a lack of pie.

Cas was getting better, Dean thought, he actually held the badge right side up this time. The minute after Dean had listened to Pam's voice mail he called Castiel down and had the angel wing them to Pam's house.  The cops had nothing.  There were blaming it on a botched burglary, figured the suspect or suspects were long gone.  Dean asked if they could have a couple minutes to examine the scene. The cop just shrugged and ambled away.  Dean pulled out an EMF and got nothing.  Cas couldn't feel the presence of an angel or demon.  That still though left a long list of possibilities. They couldn't really tell if anything was out of place, Pam's house was always cluttered with Supernatural items and symbols.  All they had were the voice mail, Pam's body (which they would later find out had had the throat slashed and a note pushed into her mouth that said dead women tell no tales), and thanks to her contract they knew where to find her journals.  She always wrote out her visions, readings and they hoped if they went through them, they might find a clue.

All too quickly there was nothing else they could do, except mourn.  They walked out of the house, and once out of sight, Cas was ready to transport them both back to Oregon. Dean shook his head, "We go get Charlie, until we know what's going on, she's moving in with us, she needs to be kept safe."

Cas hesitated, "While Miss Bradbury has always been a help to us, she has expressed...hesitation about staying at the sanctuary.  She is uncomfortable with the idea of being surrounded by monsters."

"Yeah well uncomfortable is not a good excuse, not when her life might be at risk.  We go get her." Cas knew better than to argue and with a flutter of sound they were on Charlie's doorstep.

Dean knocked, and felt a little nervous. He considered Charlie and himself great friends. They constantly chatted, played online games together, but they had yet to meet in person. He couldn't help but to adjust his clothes, try to smooth his hair.

"Why are you preening, does she not prefer the company of women? Making yourself tidied would not sway her to your side." Cas did his head tilt, and Dean just sighed.

"I'm still allowed to be a little nervous." Cas was confused but let it go and they waited.

A minute later Charlie opened the door and Dean hadn't needed to worry, she squealed and jumped into his arms. He caught her easy. It was a tight hug. She leaned back, still in his arms, "What up bitches?" She turned to Cas, "Oooh the angel is dreamy." Cas flushed a little.

Dean pushed into Charlie's apartment and set her down. "This isn't a social visit, there's a pretty big problem."

Charlie tensed, in their world those were not good words.

Dean continued, "Someone or something killed Pam last night." Charlie's face fell, she paled, "We are bringing you in."

"No, I've got good security, I'm cool." Charlie put on a stubborn look, but no one could out stubborn Dean.

"You are so far from cool that you're Tatooine"

"Hey -" Charlie tried to interject.

"Pam was murdered.  She left me a message just before it happened saying something was coming to destroy all of us.  Now you might think you are tough, and you are, but this is bigger than that.  So you can either have half an hour to pack up what you want to bring, or we just grab you and go." Dean gave her shoulder a squeeze. "No one there can hurt you, it's my job to make sure of that.  You can even bunk down in my apartment if you want, you never even have to leave it. I don't want to lose anyone else." Charlie was no match for Dean's care.

35 minutes later, the three were back at the house.

******

It was three days later and they had nothing.  No hint of a killer, no leads, no real reason, nothing.  Loki had sent out feelers, but no one seemed to be aware of anything.  Dean was on edge.  Charlie had been trying to settle in, but was always tense as she left Dean's rooms.  He loved her, he really did, but if he didn't get some alone time soon, he was going to lose his shit.  Everywhere he went residents asked about Pam, tried to offer sympathy and support and he just wanted some peace and quiet.

He went to the kitchens, to hunt down some food, he was in desperate need of pie.  He went into the fridge, where there should be an apple pie, just waiting for him.  One of the perks of the job was that there was always pie waiting for him.  Except for when he needed it apparently.  Instead there was just an empty tin with a note that said, _Ooops, was this yours Dean?_ There was a red smear of lipstick that had some crumbs attached to it. He slammed the door closed. "MEG!!!!"  That was just cold, even for a demon.

Word spread quickly that day.

 

Dean was angry as fuck and everybody knew to steer clear of him as he slammed doors and stalked down hallways.  Everyone except that new guy Benny.  Instead he stood there, arms crossed and smirked at the caretaker.

"Something you want there, pal?" Dean asked, demanded.

"Yeah brother," Benny stared at Dean’s mouth, "But you ain’t offering yet, so I can wait." He walked passed Dean getting real close.  Just as he brushed by he whispered, "And trust me, you will offer me everything I want." Benny kept walking and never looked back.

Dean stood in the hallway mouth agape.  He had barely seen Benny over the last couple of days, the vampire keeping to himself.  And the first time they have contact since he arrived, the guy does a creepy, stalkery flirty moment? What the fuck was that, was he taking lessons from Balthazar or something? Dean shook the moment off, tried to shake off the buzz that had crawled under his skin, and kept going.

He made his way to the library/bar area and of course, Balthazar was already there, a brandy in hand. Dean sighed, "Why are you always around?"

Balthazar smirked, "You mean why am I enjoying my home?"

Dean pouted, "You are very annoying, shouldn't you be out in the world, having orgies or something?"

"mmmm, been there, done that, taking a break from the delightful hedonism for awhile."

"So how fallen are you?" Dean asked, pouring his own drink.

For the first time, he saw a truly angry Balthazar, "I'm not fallen, you ass! I believe in our father, I follow his orders, I might be debauched, I might prefer earth to heaven, but believe me I am not Lucifer, not even a little."

Dean nodded, "fair enough." He sat and they drank for a time in silence. Finally Dean asked, "What do you think of the new vampire?"

Balthazar took it for the overture it was, "You mean that Southern hunk of flesh whose eyes have been tracking you for days?"

"I was right, he took flirting lessons from you."

"Ohhh, he's managed to work up to approaching you, delightful.  Sorry, my dear, but I have not encouraged him in anyway.  I have my own plans right now that I'm focused on." On Balthazar a leer wasn't really different than a smile.

Cas walked into the room shortly thereafter, just in time to hear Dean say, "That vamp, Benny, he makes me uncomfortable. Maybe he should hit the road"

He lacked context for the conversation but he didn't care, he wanted to try out teasing.  He never got it right, but he knew that Dean always appreciated the effort, "Uncomfortable is not a good excuse if he's broken no rules." Cas was proud of himself.

Dean however was not amused, "You know Cas, Balthazar wants to ride your cock six ways from Sunday."

Balthazar choked on his drink and Cas asked, "Are there six ways to ride a cock?"

Dean just groaned and slumped in his chair and tried not to think of the way that Benny had crowded him, brushed by him in the hallway.

******

The tricky thing about protective borders is that they are difficult to maintain on water. Management had drawn clear lines on the road, in the woods, to keep the sanctuary safe, but in the water, the tide caused the line to drift. Thus the sweet selkie Ambrel didn't realize she had swam outside the safe zone, until she was pulled into the boat.

Dean didn't realize anything had happened, until her body hit land and his selkie tattoo flared in agony.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know that the Benny flirt scene feels like it might be from out of nowhere but next chapter we'll have some Benny POV that will explain it.


	5. Pushing at Borders

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dean pushes for answers, Benny pushes at Dean's comfort zone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Benny's flirting goes a little bit better here? Also, we call in a favourite.  
> Just a note, there might not be an update for a couple weeks as on Wednesday the family has to hit the road for a wedding. 5 hour flight with an 11 month old and a 34 year old who has horrible motion sickness. Should be awesome.  
> Also this story seems to be settling in for long chapters, but it is difficult to find easy breaks here.

Charlie and Cas had started to get dizzy tracking Dean's pacing in the living room. Balthazar had given up a long time ago and was lying down on a couch, giving the appearance of dozing, though his hands clearly showed his tension. Sprocket sat on the floor, licking her puppies clean.

Back and forth, back and forth Dean went, muttering, cursing.  20 minutes in Charlie asked Cas, "Is he always so..."

Cas tilted his head, "what?"

"You know, smitey looking?"

Cas attempted to reassuring, "Oh despite the extra magic surrounding him that comes with the job, he can not actually smite anyone.  He still has to stick with conventional weapons, that's why he is currently carrying a gun, a demon blade, holy water, holy oil, and a small silver knife.  If it requires smiting I will help."

For a second Charlie was distracted, "Where is he hiding all those weapons?" She looked at Dean's person, trying to figure it out.

"Most are around the waist area, covered by the plaid.  I suggested cargo pants, in the ads on t.v. they look like they would be very practical, hold lots of equipment, but he said only dudebros wear them.  I have yet to figure out what a dudebro is."

"Picture Balth, without his charm or ass kicking capabilities." Dean interjected. Balthazar flipped him off.

Dean finally paused in his pacing and all eyes turned to him.

"Right, so clearly someone is out to fuck with us. Ambrel did nothing wrong, selkies never hurt anyone, and she had never even abandoned a human family or anything, she just wanted a place to swim and people to talk to sometimes."

"She liked pink shells." Cas said softly. Charlie hugged his arm.

"I hate to say it, but I don't think it's a demon. Or at least not only a demon." Dean rubbed his neck and resumed pacing as he talked. "Pam's place was warded to all fuck. Salt on each opening, devil's traps at each doorway.  No way could a demon have gotten that close."

"Plus, I've checked, no one is under orders to go after you or this place." A new voice added. Charlie jumped, but the men stayed cool - Sprocket went over for a pet, "Hello everyone," Crowley said.

God Dean hated Crowley, but he was upper management. And like Meg, Crowley didn't really lie - obscure, twist, confuse but not outright lie, the asshole at heart was a businessman.  Being head of the crossroad demons meant he had a decent ear to the ground.

"Could it be someone gone rogue? Hell can't love this place too much?"

"Honestly, hell is too busy being hell to give a damn about the sanctuary. I can't help if it is a random demon, I can just tell you that this place is an official no fly zone." Crowley adjusted his cuffs, "You were never my choice for a hire, Winchester.  More keep dying and we'll have to reassess."

"Bite me, Crowley."

"Oh I think we'll leave that job to the new vampire, shall we?" He nodded and disappeared.

"What the fuck?" was all Dean had. Charlie let out a nervous giggle.

"Well Benny does watch you a lot." She added.

Cas nodded seriously, "I have noticed him tracking your movements on several occasions. I can speak to him, ask him to stop if you like."

"No, I bet Dean here likes the idea of those serious eyes following him around. Leave it alone Cas, or you'll break Dean's rule 2 again." Balthazar said.

"But in the two years he has been here, he has only seduced women at bars.  His main porn is Busty Asian Beauties. He prefers women." Cas seemed confused, but when it came to sex he was always confused.

"I prefer a hundred year old brandy, but I can happily drink this lovely martini here just as well. That's how Dean feels about sleeping with guys."

"I am standing right here you know." Dean interjected.

"Yes you are. Good boy."

"Shut up Balthazar."

"Am I wrong?" was the reply.

Dean sighed, "No, mostly I like women, but the occasional guy floats my boat too. But I'm a little too busy trying to find a murder to fall for the cliche of a sexy vampire -"

"OOOHHH you do find him sexy. Dean and Benny sitting in a tree..." Charlie began.

"Son of a Bitch!" Dean yelled at all the teasing.

Everyone settled down, back to the serious task at hand.

"Charlie can you do your thing, see if there is anyone staying in town, track any credit cards, see if there is unusual...anything?" It wasn't a lot to go on, but Charlie slipped out of the room to do her best. "Cas, is there any chance of finding another psychic, someone who might be able to give us a peak into what's going on? Barring that, check with Loki, see if he's found out anything." Cas nodded and with a flutter was gone. "Sprocket, you just take care of your puppies." The dog huffed. Dean started to walk out of the room.

"What about me, oh mighty captain?" Balthazar sat up.

"You actually want to help?" Dean was surprised.

"My home too, you know. Plus it might score me points with Castiel if I seem to care."

"How romantic."

"Yes, yes, we all enjoy sarcasm. Now what can I do?" Balthazar put his cocktail glass down.

Dean thought for a minute, "I'm going to check the wards along the east perimeter, see if anyone's been around trying to tamper with them. Can you go get the fairies to look over the west side?" Balthazar nodded in agreement. "After that, I know you know people. Get us some extra weapons, we both know this isn't an episode of Columbo where I get to solve it easily. Blood is going to fall." Balthazar left without another word.

Dean took 2 minutes for himself, just 2 minutes to worry, to panic, to fear for the monsters and creatures that he had secretly considered family for awhile now. He then stiffened his spine and went to check that the borders were still holding.

******

Everyone was right in their teasing. Benny's eyes did follow Dean. He hadn't been there long, only a few days, but the place did feel like a home. He had been struggling out in the world. It was...difficult to deal with the need for blood against not wanting to kill anyone. He had run into Lenore in a bar.  She could tell right away what Benny was, how he was trying to get by.  She had given him the card to find this place (it was a rule, or the code, if you will, that once you've stayed at the sanctuary you are given three cards to hand out if you find someone in need.  You have to be very careful with them, only give them to the right people, but it had saved lives). When he showed up, he was surprised to realize that the caretaker that she had talked about so glowingly was human. He had been sure that there would be judgment when he admitted to still being on human blood, but Dean had been kind and practical and set Benny up.

Benny was doing better, healthier now that he was on a steady diet. It allowed him to function more, and allowed him to notice how damned attractive Dean was.  If you've been around as long as Benny had, your sexual identification becomes more fluid, and Benny was easy with just feeling a pull for a person, no matter the gender. And Dean hit his buttons, he liked strength, the freckles, and even the sarcasm. Unfortunately his first attempt at flirtation had come on a little strong. It was time for another go.

He followed Dean, moving quietly through the woods. It was an overcast day, so the forest had a grey tinge, giving it a sad bleak air. Benny could feel the power radiating from the ground and realized that they were following the wards that protected the sanctuary.  He looked closer and could see the sigils that were carved into trees. He paused to examine the handiwork, forgetting his tracking for the moment.  It was impressive what had been done to protect the land, protect those who sought peace. Benny realized that Dean was getting further away and picked up his pace.

Benny got close again, close enough that Dean had to know that he was there, but the caretaker was saying nothing. They kept going, Dean leading, Benny following for another forty feet when Dean paused and held up his hand in a signal to freeze. Benny listened to the air and disobeyed Dean's signal, rushing, tackling the former hunter.

Dean lay flat on the ground, completely covered by Benny.  He tried to shake off the vampire, but he wasn't budging.

"Fuck, are you working with the killer?" Dean snarled, "Well then just fucking finish the job." Dean tried to be defiant, but it was difficult when he couldn't move.

"Now brother, don't be jumping the gun, especially when I did you a favour." Dean was about to protest, but then looked over at what Benny was staring at. There embedded in a tree was a bolt from a crossbow.  If Benny hadn't used his strength and speed, the bolt would have been in Dean's head. Benny looked down at Dean, "Now how bout you say thank you."

"How bout you let me up?" Dean countered.

Benny hummed in thought, "But I'm rather comfortable, aren't you?" He pressed into the body below him, tightening his grip just a little.

"Oh sure, being pinned into dirt and twigs by a vampire while someone is booby trapping the woods to kill me and mine, that's just the funnest time ever." Dean rolled his eyes and tried not to think about how good Benny's body actually felt.  It had been a long time since he had been so enveloped by another body, so long since he had been so thoroughly pinned, he tried to not show how good it felt.

Benny lightly pressed his pelvis down and Dean automatically rocked up a little, "Seems like it might be a little fun." was what Benny finally said.

Dean flushed, and pushed with his hands. Benny got the message and reluctantly stood.  He helped Dean up and they went to examine the bolt. Benny easily pulled it from the tree and Dean looked it over.

"Shit, this is homemade, that makes it impossible to track." Dean looked out to the woods. "The larger question is how did they manage to get a trip wire over the protective border, no one who isn't a part of the sanctuary should be able to cross that line. Does that mean they had inside help?" Dean looked pissed.

Benny thought about it, "Nah, if it was a press trigger or some such, they just had to carefully throw it across." Dean nodded. "There could be more of these around."

"Yeah.  Let's head back to the house. The best thing we can do is get the fairies to check the whole border. Their eyes will most easily find any other lines." The men headed back, now walking side by side.

******

A few hours later they reconvened.  Charlie had found little to nothing.  No outstanding or unusual purchases in town, no one had stayed longer than a night or two.  Castiel brought nothing new from Loki, but had found a psychic, she had promised to call if she learned anything. Balthazar just nodded to Dean, and Dean knew that there extra weapons about.

Gilda came in the room. Charlie froze and then immediately tried to adjust her clothes, smooth her hair.

"Hey G, thank you for helping, what did you guys find?" Dean asked.

"We found another half dozen traps, nothing elaborate.  My best guess is that it was more about testing the borders, seeing what can get in and out. It seems as if the lines drawn can stop an unwanted person from coming in, but if they were to stand there, they could shoot or throw a knife and it would hit, would kill." She glanced at Charlie and offered a sweet smile. "We have disabled what we could. A patrol should perhaps be instituted, with ones who are of a hardier constitution."

Dean nodded and thanked Gilda. She walked lightly from the room.

"So we start a patrol, check the lines twice a day.  Angels and Demons should do the trick." Dean sighed, "That means we have to rely on Meg. Cas you go ask for her help.  I do it, she'll say no."

"Must I?" It was the closest Cas sounded to petulant, but Meg scared him.

Balthazar wrapped an arm over his shoulders, "Come along, I'll protect you from the scary, little demon." Dean couldn't help but notice that Cas was just a little red in the cheek.

Charlie also headed out saying she wanted to take a walk in the gardens.

Dean sat at his desk and wondered what was going on.

*******

The moon was high, the whiskey level low when Dean decided to head off to bed.

Unfortunately he had yet to convince Charlie to move into one of the available guest suites. That meant he got to see her naked ass, and the stretch of limbs under her.

"Fuck Charlie that's my bed!" Dean quickly covered his eyes.

"Not like you use it for anything fun," was Charlie's swift answer.

"You could have warned a guy that you had plans."

"Didn't you notice the tie on the doorknob?" Charlie replied.

"You want to bang a hot fairy, that's your business, but that means you get your own set of rooms." He took a breath, "Sorry about seeing you mostly naked Gilda."

"What about me?" Charlie complained.

"Nope, you don't get a sorry, you are violating my space." Dean turned around, "Tomorrow you are washing my sheets, making me waffles, and then moving down the hall." He started to walk out and added, "Have a good night."

"Bye!" Charlie said cheerfully and went back to her business.

Dean walked down the hall.  He knew where there were multiple rooms that were empty, but his feet seemed to travel of their own accord up the stairs.

Cursing himself, he knocked on a door.

A minute later it opened. There was Benny just in a pair of low slung, well worn pajama bottoms.  Dean tried, and failed, not to stare at the broad, hairy chest.

Benny's arms crossed and he coughed, "I'm up here you know."

"I need a place to crash tonight." Dean finally looked up and saw a slow smile draw over Benny's face.

"I don't have a couch in here."

"So share your bed." Dean nudged his way in. "This doesn't mean you are getting laid."

"What about a blow job?" Benny asked curious.

"Like I'd let someone with vamp teeth near my dick." Dean complained.

"Didn't mean for you."

Dean started to strip down. He was down to his boxers and Benny took in all the tattoos roped over his shoulders, back, chest. He let out a moan when he saw the pierced nipples.  He so desperately wanted to tug at those with his teeth.

Benny closed the door and Dean shucked his boxers off. "You give me a handjob tonight, we see how it goes from there. I ain't easy you know."

"Yes you are."

"Yes I am, but still want to make you work for it a little. Get me off decent and I'll do the same for you." Dean got on the bed and lay back.

Benny got to work.

*****

Dean was humming Metallica happily the next morning when his phone rang.  There was no hello only,

"You damn idjit why are people taking shots at my house? Someone rigged a pipe bomb in my yard, blew up a bunch of the junkers.  Left a note saying I was party to betrayers, saying I would be paying for Winchester sins. What the fuck have you actually been doing the last couple years and why is it coming down on me?"

"Crap, Bobby..."

"Crap is right boy, you better tell me everything right now, and tell me how you're going to fix it."

So much for Dean's good mood.

 

 


	6. I'd Like to Say Good Talk, but That's a Lie

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bobby arrives, no one dies, but a lot of uncomfortable conversations happen.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And we're back. The next chapter after this will probably take 7-10 days to go up as starting on the 25th I want to take part in the deanbenny week daily challenge on tumblr. (dennyismydestiel.tumblr.com stop on by and say hi). So much awkward is going to happen here, it's not even funny (except you know it's going to be super funny). Also riffing off the great Cas discovers the Pizza Man scene.

Dean sat on the porch, waiting, with a healthy amount of dread. Bobby was due up the drive at any moment and then Dean would have to come clean about the last couple years.  He knew that if it was his dad, the man would just burn it down and salt the earth without hesitating, without questioning.  He hoped Bobby would be different. Dean had told everyone to make themselves scarce - almost everyone listened, but it was hard to be mad when Sprocket slumped beside him. He pat her head, relaxing a little.

Soon enough a beat up truck started to come down the lane. Dean couldn't help but tense up, Sprocket huffed and nudged her head against him in sympathy.  The truck rolled to a stop and Bobby got out and grabbed a duffel bag, "What is that beside you?" Were his first words.

Dean was always impressed how quickly the magics of the place affected humans. "This is Sprocket."

"That's one ugly ass dog."

"What, did you expect hellhounds to be all cute and cuddly?" Bobby froze at Dean's words.

"Hellhound?" he managed to ask.

"Yup."

"So this is going to be a whole mess of crazy isn't it?" was what Bobby managed to come up with.

"Oh you have no idea." Dean stood, grabbed Bobby's bag and headed into the house.

*****

Castiel watched as Dean and Bobby drank whiskey, a lot of whiskey.  He made a note to tell management that they would be needing a lot more alcohol. He kept watching as Bobby started to pace with the bottle of whiskey in hand, he realized that the pacing happened in the same pattern as Dean, the gestures were the same, even tonality of voice was the same. Castiel reached what he thought was a logical conclusion.

He asked, "Why didn't you say that it was your father coming to us?"

Bobby froze midstep. He quickly looked to Dean who's face had gone blank.

"Cas, what's my father's name?"

"John Winchester."

"And who is this standing in front of us?"  
"Bobby Singer." Cas responded dutifully.

"Are they the same men?"

"No."

"Well then, Bobby can't be my father, now can he?"

A thought whispered through Castiel's mind, he didn't know who it was from, but just that it wasn't him, "Family don't end with blood."

Dean stood abruptly, "I'm taking a walk. Bobby don't kill anyone or anything - they are all innocent of any crime." Dean left and slammed the door.

Castiel looked lost and hurt. Bobby ran a hand down his face and sighed, "Son, you don't really get people do you?"

"I've improved since Dean took the job." Bobby winced at the thought that this was an improvement.

"Well let me explain. He and his dad don't exactly get along...John is rigid in his beliefs about the supernatural.  It drove Sam away, it drove Dean away. He didn't really let them have a childhood, he was more a captain than a dad." Bobby took a sip of whiskey. "You just don't want to talk about parents a lot with the idjit."

"But you clearly hold him in great respect and affection.  Love and worry are pouring off of you."

Bobby looked at the angel, "Dean have a rule about you reading his mind?"

"Yes sir."

"Good, consider it my rule too." Castiel nodded, a little ashamed. "Now boy, show me around the joint, especially the library and armory."

*******

Bobby couldn't help but be a little impressed with the estate's set up. He didn't know if he trusted all the creatures there, but he trusted Dean.  And he thought he just might trust this Castiel.  Still he had to ask, "So, really an angel?"

"Yes."

"Nothing in my library suggested you were real. And I got a hell of a lot of books." Bobby looked at him, "Prove it."

Cas sighed and performed his 'special trick' as Dean called it.  There was a rumble and a flutter and the shadows that cast were wide and strong. Bobby had to admit that the shape of the wings was a little impressive. "Okay, so angel then. Are there more of you here?"

"Yes, Balthazar is a permanent resident, and there is an...intern I guess you could call him, Samandriel who I am training in the estate's functions."

"And there are demons, shape shifters, fairies, hell hounds..."

"And the vampire that has begun carnal relations with Dean." Cas added, helpful as always. He then paused and asked, "Is informing a father figure about someone's sexual relations a form of cockblocking, because if so I just broke rule two again."

Bobby swung back to the weapons vault. "What does Dean think he's in some sort of crappy romance novel, banging some chick vamp, like it's Anne Rice time?"

"I don't understand that reference. If it helps Benny seems to hold Dean in a gruff sort of affection."

Bobby swore, "I'm going to kill that idjit."

Cas tried to figure out where he went wrong, and decided to just give up and ask Balthazar, he always knew better on these sorts of things.

****

Dean had gone for a walk outside, needing air.  Cas managed, in his innocent way, to stir up a lot that Dean preferred to ignore. Bobby had listened to the whole story, hadn't offered judgement, just listened. In the end, he had believed Dean, had sort of believed in what they were doing here.  He agreed to stay, to help them figure out what was going on. There was no one better at research and solving hunter's problems like Bobby.  Bobby had warned that he was staying armed the whole time, and while he wouldn't shoot first, it would be better if any demons avoided him. Dean had put up a notice on the bulletin board.

Now though he was confronted with a truth he liked to push away, Bobby in a lot of ways had been more a father than John.  Everyone knew this, but everyone ignored it. But Cas wasn't so good at burying things deep down and had to mention what he could sense in the air and now Dean couldn't escape those thoughts.  He just wanted a break from his own mind, just for a few minutes. He made he way to the gym at the back of the estate, prepared to punch something for a good long while.

He lucked out when he got there, Benny was idly swinging at the punching bag. The vampire was just wearing sweatpants and there was a sheen on his skin. Dean licked his lips, thirsty, hungry, just wanting to taste those strong shoulder blades. He tried to move silently, but he was no match for vampire ears. When he got close, Benny swung around and knocked Dean on his ass, "Now brother, a hunter sneaking up on a monster, that can't be a good thing." Dean struck out with his legs and knocked Benny down with him. He rolled on top of the larger man, and licked a swath up his neck.

"I don't know, might be a good thing." Benny rolled, trapping Dean beneath him. Dean tried to push him off, but Benny just hauled Dean's arms up, managing to trap both wrists with one hand, so that his other was free to grasp Dean's chin.

"If you want to play, you can just ask. If you want to fight, you can ask for that to. But I need to know how far we are pushing here, I'm not always so cuddly as I was three nights ago." Dean flushed at the memory of spending the night in Benny's bed, the vampire's hands cool on his overheated skin, pushing him far, pulling him in deep. Benny smiled at the rising red staining the caretaker's face.  He decided to take a risk and let his vampire teeth fall into place.  He leaned down and let them gaze against Dean's neck, firm but never piercing. He felt the shudder roll through the human. "Now then, what do you need brother?"

"After what we've done, and what we're doing to do, how about you don't call me brother.  I got one of those, and trust me the feelings are very different." Dean twisted his wrists and Benny took the hint. They both sat up, "Right now I need to hit something, just get out of my head for awhile."

Benny got serious for a minute, "Has something happened, anyone else hurt?"

Dean shook his head as he stood, "Nah, someone from my...old job was threatened, came here.  I had to explain everything.  It made certain things come up, that I would rather not think about."

Benny stood and got the tape for Dean's hands. "Fair enough, you want the bag, or you want me?"

Dean smiled, it was almost feral, "You would be more fun." Benny nodded agreeably and finished taping up Dean's fingers.  They started easy warming up, testing each other's reflexes. Neither aiming to connect, just see the other's moves.  Then they began in earnest.  It was fast and hard.  They didn't taunt, they just pushed, punched, kicked. Thanks to being a vampire, and thanks to the magics in place both healed quick, but the pain was still there.

Eventually Benny began to back Dean into a corner.  Dean was reluctant to concede defeat, but there wasn't really an out. He thought Benny would let him free, but realized that crowding him was one of Benny's favourite things. This time, Dean's wrists were trapped against the wall, down by his waist. Benny lining up so that there cocks were brushing through their sweats and jeans. Dean was breathing heavy from the exercise, and from the closeness of the vampire.

"Tell me Dean, if you were still a hunter would you kill me?" Benny whispered.

"Only if I had to, only if you made me." was Dean's reply.

"If we had run into each other before, would you have let me fuck you? Would I have been allowed to tie you up on my bed, suck your cock, bend you in half and pound into you, like I'm going to here?" Benny ran those teeth once more over his neck, "Would you have come to me, begging for more, or would you have cut and run, or not even looked twice at me?"

Dean's breath became more laboured as Benny spoke.  He tried to form a sentence, but all the came out was, "Guh."

"Or perhaps, we would have fought properly, hunter and vampire. And then when you lost, and you would have lost, I would have spun you around against a wall, and and taken what I wanted. Maybe even more...maybe you would be the one to make me slip, make the thirst just too damn much." Benny spun Dean around so his face rested against the wall. "Do you trust me, knowing how hungry your beating pulse makes me?" Benny took a chance and removed his hands from Dean's wrists - Dean kept his hands in place.  Just as Benny was starting to slide his hand in front to grab Dean's aching erection he let out a painful groan and dropped to the ground.

Dean turned and saw Bobby standing there with a knife that he clearly just pulled out of Benny.  Dean wondered why Benny was slow to stand up and then saw the dark glisten on the blade, "What the fuck, Bobby? Dean Man's Blood? I told you to leave everyone alone here!" Dean bent and helped Benny stand. The vampire had to lean on Dean.

Bobby was unapologetic, "I heard what he said.  He was attacking you. He's lucky I didn't just cut his head off." Bobby glowered, "I still might." He adjusted the grip on the knife.

"We were working out, sparring.  Is that not allowed?" Dean glowered right back.

"Castiel tells me you're fucking this vampire. What the hell's wrong with you boy?" Bobby yelled, "Besides which since when do you like guys?"

At this Dean paused, "Which makes you angrier, the guy factor, or the vampire?"

Bobby rolled his eyes, "Just be nice if you informed your family of your choices, but let me think, bloodsucker is the correct answer."

Benny was catching his breath back, "If it helps we haven't actually fucked yet."

"Oh yeah, that's a big help.  I don't need a play by play here, I just need to know what in the hell you're thinking." Clearly Bobby wasn't leaving without an answer.

Dean sighed, "That he's hot, treats me decently, seems to get me.  You know how it is for hunter's, can't exactly find a normal girl or guy.  You either are always lying to them, or drag them into the life. We're on equal ground here.  Not saying this is a long term thing, just that right now, with all the other bullshit going on, he's giving me what I need." Dean was embarrassed by this, but stared Bobby in the eye.

"Fine, I'll stay out of it, but you get one bruise, I'm taking it out on his ass."

"If anyone wrecks his ass it will be me." Dean said without thinking.

Bobby groaned and Benny said, "Mon petit chou, going to be the other way around."

"Right, good talk. I need whiskey." Bobby said as he stormed out.

Moment ruined, the caretaker and vampire left as well.

*****

Dean did a perimeter check with Meg, who was relentless in her teasing about Benny.  Dean tried to get her to shut up, but Meg wouldn't be stopped.  By the time he was finished it was late and time to lock up the house.  Since the attacks had started they had a midnight curfew where the house went into additional lock downs and was reopened at dawn.  They doubted it did anything but they all felt secretly comforted by the extra measure.  All Dean wanted to do was collapse in his bed and forget about the day.  He walked into his room though and saw the flickering of a t.v. screen.

Charlie had indeed moved out the morning after the Gilda incident, so he had no idea who it would be.  He looked and saw it was Cas staring intently at the screen. He groaned, "Cas, you don't even really live here, but if you want we can get you a set of rooms."

He didn't look away from the screen, "Another room wouldn't have the research tools I needed."

"What res-? CAS!!!!" Dean yelled.

"Yes?"

"You don't just watch another guy's porn."

"But it seems I need a better understanding of sexual relations." Cas sounded so earnest.

Dean was hesitant, but had to ask, "And why is that?"

"Meg said she wanted to climb me like a jungle gym.  And you said Balthazar wanted to ride my cock six ways from Sunday.  I have yet to see in these movies 6 ways, two seems to be the most common." Cas looked back to the screen, "Also, if the pizza man loves her, why is he spanking her?...Unless she was truly naughty."

Cas thought about it, "You seem to imply Balthazar is frequently naughty, am I supposed to spank him?"

Dean walked over and started banging his head against the t.v. unit.  After doing this a few times he turned the t.v. off and grabbed a shot of whiskey, and then another.  He sat down, close but not too close to Cas. "Why am I responsible for Angel Sex 101?" he muttered to himself. He looked at the confusion on his best friend's face and sighed; he couldn't leave the poor guy so confused.

"Cas are you interested in sex, in general?"

Cas tilted his head like the curious cat he was, "I believe so, it seemed to bring forth great pleasure in others, I am curious about that feeling."

"Okay, are you interested in sex with Meg?"

Cas hung his head a little, "She scares me..." he looked at Dean, "And not in the fun way that Benny seems to scare you.  I don't think I would like it like that."

"Good, never, ever agree to sex unless you honestly want it. Consent is sexy Cas." Cas nodded seriously, looking like he wanted to take notes.

"Next, do you want to have sex with Balthazar?"

Cas flushed this time, "I...he seems...he's so..."

"I'll take it as a yes." Cas nodded and smiled.  Dean had to admit it was an attractive smile, one that in a different time and place he could have fallen for easily.

"Right, well the good thing is that Balthazar knows what he's doing, that makes it easier for you."

"How?" Dean groaned at Cas' question.

"Look man, I honestly don't want to think this much about your sex life.  Just go to Balth's room and say that you want some hands on sex ed. He'll take care of the rest."

Cas stood, "Thank you Dean.  Your friendship is invaluable to me."

"Yeah, yeah.  Good talk.  Never watch porn in my room again."

"But where else will I find such educational information?" with that Cas fluttered away. Dean tried to figure out if that was sarcasm or not and then just let it go.

******

The next morning there was a sign posted on the outside of Dean's door.

**This is Dean's room.**

**No one is to have sex in here except Dean.**

**No one is to watch porn in here except Dean.**

**No one is to ask about sex, think about sex, do anything involving sex in this room except Dean.**

**This room is now off limits to anyone who isn't Dean or Dean's sex partner.**

**Make a left hand joke Meg and I will leave you in a Devil's Trap for a week.**

 

In the end he relented and let Meg out of the devil's trap after 48 hours.

 

 


	7. Red Rover, Red Rover, Send Sammy Over

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> We get the last of our ducks in a row. A shorter transitions chapter.

It was a week of nothing.  No threats, no ideas, no progress nothing.  Bobby was trying to research, but had no idea what to look for.  He had gone through Pam's journals, but aside from learning more about what Dean had been up to for the last couple of years, there was only vague mentions of upcoming danger. Bobby was getting antsy, hell everyone was getting antsy.

Bobby watched that vampire circle Dean and he had no idea how he felt about it.  He talked to that angel Cas, who swore that everything was fine, all that girl Charlie would say was that she 'shipped it,' and in one unfortunate conversation with that demon Meg, he learned a little too much about what the boys were doing in privacy.  No amount of whiskey would remove those images. Benny was smart though and gave Bobby a wide berth.

Bobby was going through the paperwork that that trickster provided him, showing him the spells and incantations that protected the place.  Since they had no leads, he figured the best he could do was see if there was any place that the defenses needed shoring up.

He was so lost in his fascination of the spell work that it took him awhile to realize his cell phone was ringing.  He didn't look at the id and just yelled, "I'm a little busy, what do you want?"

Bobby froze as a voice said, "Bobby."

Shit, Bobby thought, "Yeah Sam, what's up?"

******

_A few hours earlier_ :

Sam and Sarah were walking home from the gallery.  The exhibition she had organized was a hit, but now that they were well away from the space, Sam couldn't help but tease, "How was that art again?"

Sarah couldn't help herself, though she knew he was teasing and started in on a lecture on the painter's style.  Before she could get really worked up, Sam laughed and picked her up for a hug. She sighed, "I'm sorry, I know these aren't the funnest thing for you, but I really appreciate your support."

"Always" Sam said easily.  They started walking again and Sam could hear an echo of footsteps.  He didn't pause, just began to take in his surroundings.  He could hear that they were matching pace, which was actually a little more concerning than if they hurried up.  He tried to be subtle as he moved to Sarah's other side, to keep his dominant hand free.  They rounded the corner and there was a man waiting.

"Hey buddy, got a light?" The man asked and before Sarah could do anything, Sam pushed her out of the way. It was just in time, and the bullet glanced Sam's arm, but struck nothing.  Sam fought, not as in shape as he should be, but holding his own.   The footsteps caught up now and Sam easily twisted his body so that the blows missed. When the one guy wasn't looking, Sarah pushed a garbage can at him.  The two attackers took off, and Sarah pushed herself up the wall. 

"We should call the cops." She began to pull out her cell.

Sam was holding a piece of paper, looking at the words _Do you know what your brother is up to these days?_

"Sarah, no, cops can't help."

"But..." she began to protest.

"We're going home, packing a bag and hitting the road to South Dakota.  We can't stay here." A fierce look came over Sam's face, one that she had never seen before, one that scared her.

*******

Two days later Bobby approached Dean's office with a bit of trepidation.  He had to let him know Sam was coming, he'd be crossing the state line any moment, meaning he would be there by night's end.  He knocked on the door and heard a muffled noise, which he thought was a come in.  It wasn't. Bobby groaned and closed his eyes, "You damn idjits, save it for night time won't you?" He turned his back, thankful that the desk had at least blocked most of everything from view. He heard a zipper and a few whispers. He felt Benny approach and move past him. Bobby turned to Dean who looked a little sheepish.

Dean shrugged, "Got to work off the nervous energy somehow?"

"Fools, the lot of you." Bobby walked over and sat in the chair opposite the desk, "We gotta talk."

"Oh?" Those were not good words these days.

"Yeah, it's about Sam."

Dean stood abruptly, "What? Is he hurt, did they go after him, where is he?"

There was a whisper, a rustle, and then a Loki, "He seems fine, but he and that girl of his have also crossed the state line.  You know that's a no-no Deano." Loki sucked a lollipop.

Bobby added, "They made it look like an attempted mugging, but at least one of the guys was probably a hunter.  Sam didn't really get a good look.  They left a note mentioning you, Dean. So Sam grabbed Sarah and hit the bricks.  They were already on their way to me, I told them to make their way to Port Orford."

Loki shook his head sadly, "Bobby, Bobby, Bobby, we trusted you, let you in, and now you go blabbing to people? Tsk."

"Now hang on a damn minute. I didn't blab anything, all I said was make it to town, and that stuff would be explained.  He don't know about this place, what Dean does, but whatever is hanging over our heads, no is on his too." Bobby scowled at the trickster.

Loki looked ready to protest. "We're bringing them in." Dean stated.

"Not in the rule book."

"Then we rewrite the rule book." Dean looked at the god, "All of this, none of it was expected, but my job is to keep everyone safe.  I can't do that if I'm worried about my brother. The bad guys brought him into this, he's a part of it now."

"She's a regular old human, no knowledge of any of this. How's it going to work out bringing her to monsterland?" Loki argued back.

"Charlie will look after her. Sam may be out of the game, but he's still an asset. We're bringing them in." Dean said, certain.

"What if I say no? You know I have the power to stop him.  A snap and they're in Russia." Bobby watched the two men like a tennis match.

Dean decided to lay his hand on the table, "Bring them in, or I tell Cas and Balthazar the truth about you." Only a hunter's eyes would catch Loki's small reaction.

"What truth is that?" Loki tried to ask nonchalantly.

"You did a little too good a job on my body.  I might not know who you are, but I sure as fuck know what you are." Dean growled.

"You mean an amazing god of epic proportions?" was the bluff.

"I mean that you are an angel, I've always known, but kept it chill.  But I bet if I explained the power I sensed, Cas would be able to name you, wouldn't he?" Loki slumped.

"Fine, you're right and you win.  I'll arrange a visitor's pass, so to speak, for your brother and Sarah." Loki snapped and disappeared.

"Shit boy, you sure that was a good idea?" Bobby asked, impressed.

"Not even remotely."

********

Sam and Sarah walked into the bar that Bobby told them to go to.  Sarah took one look around and put a hand on her purse and another around Sam's arm. "This is where your uncle wanted to meet us?" she sounded nervous.

Sam looked around and smiled. It had been a long time since he had been in a bar this worn down but it was exactly what he expected of Bobby, of Dean.  He looked around for either man, seeing neither. He pulled Sarah along and went to the bar, ordering them both a drink. They sipped, impatient. Sarah turned to ask Sam a question and gasped.  Standing too close was a man, attractive, wearing a crooked tie and a trench coat. He smiled and nodded.

"Sam Winchester." His voice was gravelly, a resonance that reached out.

She watched Sam shift a ring he wore to his other hand in order to shake. The stranger smiled, "Silver and iron will not affect me, but it is good to see that you are cautious.  Come, we will take your vehicle to home.  Dean is waiting for you." The man turned and left. They followed nervous.

They all piled into the Honda and Cas looked around dismayed, "This vehicle is inferior to Baby, your brother will tease you."

Sam couldn't help but smile, "So you must know him well then."

Castiel grinned, "Yes, we share a profound bond."

"Oh." Sarah said.

Cas paused, "I do not mean that in a sexual sense. We are co-workers, and he has called me his best friend. Once when really drunk he called me a brother.  My understanding is that is meant to be high regard."

Sam swallowed thickly, "Yeah, in Dean's world being a brother is a big deal." Sarah patted his arm reassuringly.  She knew that it had been six months since the two even spoke, not knowing why their relationship was on such eggshells.

For once, Cas realized himself that he said something wrong and kept quiet except for directions.  It took a few moments for Sam's eyes to adjust and notice the dirt road but soon enough they were traveling the last stretch to the house. Sarah ooohed at the sight before and Cas smiled.  "It is a beautiful place here, isn't it.  Dean has been a wonderful choice for caretaker." He turned to Sam, "You should be proud of what he has accomplished and maintained here."

Sam looks around, into the fading light, "I guess the grounds are in good shape." he offered, wondering why this man made being a caretaker sound like such an important job. He parked the car and got out, seeing Bobby and Dean standing on the porch.

All of a sudden there was the sound of a bang and a large flash of light. While most of them fell to their knees, Dean's skin seemed to flare, to burn in the these weird patterns.  He was thrown several feet through the air, landing in a tangle of limbs. Sam tried to get up, but the guy who had been with them got to Dean first, and laid hands on him.  Sam watched those fingers glow, and Dean sat slowly up. "Thanks, Cas. I owe you.  Remind me to show you some bondage toys to play with Balthazar next time."

Cas grinned, "I always appreciate your education, so does Balthazar." Dean was so proud when Cas actually winked.

"Umm, not to interrupt, but what the hell was that?" Sam yelled.

Dean looked to the forest, trying to see past the trees.  He ran his finger along the stylized knots that ran about one forearm, feeling a new ridge growing around the ink that symbolized the borders of the sanctuary. He tried calling out to Loki, to Crowley.  Nothing. He dragged a figure through the dirt, drawing a summoning sigil, but nothing. "Cas, fly away." His friend nodded and made to leave, but couldn't.

"Dean." Cas said quietly.

"I know, I know." Dean looked back to the house.

"What's going on Dean?" Sam asked, growing more and more worried.

"We're in trouble. You were brought here on purpose.  You were a trap." Dean looked again to the trees. "Someone found a loophole around our magic. No one can get in, but now none of us can get out either."

******

A man's voice said into a walkie talkie, "Sir, all the ducks are in a row. We're ready to start. Over."

"Good, let's them sweat a day or two. Then begin."

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So here it is, the transition into the second half. From now on there will be a lot of action, sex, and yes there will be more death (but always canonical and Benny is safe).


	8. Preparations

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> We pick up where we left off. Stuff happens, though not as much as you might think.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So death got pushed off a chapter, just because otherwise this would have been a beast of a chapter. Still outlook is not exactly sunny.

Dean didn't look at Sam.  He looked at the sky, looked at the ground, at Cas, at anywhere but Sam.

"Dean!" Sam yelled frustrated.  He felt Sarah huddle into him scared and confused.  Sam watched as Dean exchanged a look with the guy that picked him up in town.  He watched as Dean leaned into the guy and whispered.  The guy in the trenchcoat moved in front of them, held out a hand.

"I'm sure after all of your travels the two of you must be exhausted.  I will show you to a room."

Sam swatted the hand away, "No, we're not going anywhere until somebody tells me what's going on."

The man tilted his head, "You aren't ready to hear what is going on.  We aren't ready to tell you.  You will follow me to a room and you will sleep and tomorrow we will explain everything." Sam, frustrated, angry, and yes scared, didn't even think but threw a punch. Sarah yelled, but the man didn't even flinch.  It felt like hitting rock.  The guy smiled, "What do you think you can harm me, boy?" He gestured, "Your room will be quite comfortable I assure you."

Sam looked to Dean for help, but his brother was still staring into space.  Sam put himself between Sarah and the guy and the three started walking.  When they got into the house, Sam startled, "What the hell is that ugly thing?"

"Sprocket." was Cas' mild reply.

Sarah looked around confused, "What ugly thing Sam?"

"That lump...dog...thing, sitting right there, looking like it wants pets?"

"I don't see anything Sam" she wondered if he was having some sort of episode and the man turned and gave her a sharp look.

"Really, you don't see Sprocket?" She shook her head no. "Interesting." he continued up the stairs.

The room, suite really, they were shown to was quite lovely.  Soft colours, large windows, king sized bed.  But the minute the two were inside, Cas closed and sealed the door.  Sam tried to open it, bang on it, but nothing.

"Sam, I'm scared." Sarah hugged herself.

"I might be a little too." was all Sam could say.

********

Sarah wasn't the only one who was scared, Charlie was freaking out.  Bobby was trying to keep her calm, but the girl was pacing and yelling something about "Granger not even having to deal with this level of crazy shit." They watched as people slowly came into the large foyer.  Soon enough everyone currently at the sanctuary was in the front area.  It wasn't a large group, maybe about 30 if you counted Sprocket's pups. Charlie hadn't even seen some of these people before.  She screamed as someone who looked like her walked by.

Balthazar lay a hand on her shoulder, "Skinwalker, they can take the appearance of anyone, he means no offense." It wasn't much of a comfort. Gilda came though, and touched a hand to Charlie's - that was a comfort.

Eventually Dean and Cas came back in, deep in conversation.  Dean climbed up a couple of stairs and looked to the group. Charlie waited for him to give a rallying speech, something worthy of Aragorn, or a coach in a sports movie.  Instead what she got was, "Yup, we're all pretty much fucked."

Bobby groaned, Benny face palmed, Balthazar just sipped his brandy.

There was a rumble from the group. After a moment, Dean held up a hand for quiet, "Here's what we can tell right now. Someone, something, a group, we don't know, laid down some incredibly heavy magic, not too dissimilar to what we all already use.  They basically put a border around our border.  We're all trapped in here now."

"Well, that's fine, right? I mean we're still protected by our borders, those who mean us harm can't get in, we just have to wait them out." The djinn was young, an orphan, and a little naive. A couple of the others knew the problem with the waiting plan.

Madison spoke up quietly, "The full moon cycle begins in three days."

Benny added, "Yeah, I've got about three days of blood."

A couple more murmurs.  Dean nodded, "This was timed on purpose.  Our major supply drop was due in three days, without it, a lot of you are going to be in trouble soon. Without the wolfbane potion, you're full turning, Mads. I'm sorry.  We'll cage you in the basement when the time comes." She nodded and drew into herself a little bit.

Dean continued, "I don't know what their plan is, well I do it's to kill us all, but I don't know how they are going to go about it.  We will figure it out.  For right now, no one stays outside, we all stay in the house.  If a fight comes, I know which of you are capable and which ones to keep out of it. I don't expect you to fight, not if you can't, not if you are scared.  I was giving this job to keep you safe, I will.  I will keep our home safe.  Now most of you, go to bed, try to sleep.  You know who you are that I need to stick around to talk.  I won't promise that we'll be okay, but I will do whatever I can to get us there." Dean walked down the steps and headed to the library.

He poured himself a large drink. Everyone who followed him in, did likewise. He turned and looked at his main soldiers. He opened his arms and Charlie dove into them, "You should get some sleep." He hugged her easily.

"No. I'm with you.  Besides you're the heroic leader, and I'm the sassy smart side kick. You need me."

"Okay." He kissed her head, and pushed her back to Gilda.

He looked at Bobby, at Benny, both gruff, both on the couch arms crossed.  Cas stared into the fireplace, Balthazar stood near him, not quite hovering, not quite wanting to be far from him. Meg stood close to them as well, eyes as ever on Cas. 

"Anyone have any ideas?" Dean asked. "Because right now the only thing I've got is that we have to find a way to contact management. But Cas can't flutter out, and Meg, you try ghosting up?"

She nodded, "Yeah and I seem to be as stuck as you losers." She smirked at Dean, "I hear we've also got some company."

Dean sighed, "We have to keep my brother and his girlfriend out of this as much as we can.  Cas has them locked down for now.  We'll figure out what to do with them tomorrow." Dean started to pace.

"Dean," Gilda began, "Take off your shirt."

Everyone in the room froze. Charlie giggled nervously. Gilda explained, "I need to see your sigils."

Dean shrugged and pulled off his shirt. Charlie couldn't help herself, "If I liked boys, I'd so be tapping that."

Benny smiled at her, "Sorry darlin' it's all mine.  But if you want I can give you details later."

"Hello, facing life or death here, you two can objectify me later."

"Meh, I've seen better." Balthazar said, glancing over to Cas.

"Idjits, the lot of you." was Bobby's two cents.

Gilda ignored them all, as she raised Dean's arm and looked at the burn that surrounded the one tattoo.

"Here!" she exclaimed, "there is a break in the line. The magics they used, there is a loophole in place, someone can get out, otherwise this line would be completely solid."

For a moment they had hope, but then it was quickly dashed. "But we've tried getting people out." Cas added.

"No we've tried supernatural ways.  No one has actually tried to walk out." Charlie said.

Meg shook her head, "We sent Sprocket on a run, it was like she hit a brick wall."

Cas cleared his throat, "We haven't tried a human."

"So what, I should go for a walk, see if I can get through?" Dean asked.

"No Dean, you aren't human."

"Excuse me?" Dean felt oddly offended.

Cas shook his head, "I mean that the magics in place on your body render you too different to pass through.  If this loophole does exist, it's because they didn't anticipate anyone involved in this place being utterly mundane."

"Bobby then."

Bobby cleared his throat, "I've been a hunter for decades. Been shot, stabbed with magical weapons, had spells cast on me.  Bet it's enough to count me out."

Dean didn't like the next option, "We aren't sending Charlie out there."

"She is employed by management, she's had base level protection entrenched into her skin as well."

"Hey I don't have those funky marks, like Dean." she protested.

This Balthazar knew the answer to, "But you did get drunk at Comic-con. Your Leia on your back was done by a witch, it has protections laid into the 20 sided die she is riding." Charlie flushed at everyone knowing about the tattoo.

Dean thought about it, "So we send Sam, at least we know he can protect himself."

Cas shook his head, "He's a Winchester."

"So?"

"He was once, even for a brief time, a hunter.  He has too much knowledge....Plus..." Cas hesitated.

"Plus what, Cas?"

"You two are the product of generations of hunters, of experts on the supernatural, on both sides of the family.  Your line holds power, it's part of why you were chosen." Dean tried to process this information and couldn't and decided to leave it alone.

"So we're out of options." Dean decided.

"Sarah could not see Sprocket."

"What?" Bobby asked.

"Sam's girlfriend, she should have been able to see Sprocket, once she crossed into territory, but she can't.  She is wholly human, mortal, mundane.  No magic, creature, knowledge of all this has come to her.  It seems Sam didn't even protect her with so much as a hex bag. She is our loophole."

"No." was what Dean said.

"Dean..." Cas tried to protest.

"No, Cas.  I am not sending an innocent woman out on a suicide run.  We're all going to bed, and we're all going to pretend to sleep and someone will have come up with an alternate by morning. Is that clear?"

Everyone nodded and slowly left the room.  Except for Benny, Benny approached Dean and cupped his face softly.  Dean let himself feel weak for just a moment and closed his eyes. When he opened them again, he was back in place. "Come on." He pulled Benny along to his bedroom.

There wasn't anything sexy about the way they got undressed, it was just about removing the layers and climbing into the bed. Benny cold, Dean hot. Dean lay his head on Benny's chest and heard nothing.  Benny could both feel and hear the thrum of Dean's bloody moving in his body.

Dean asked, "Three days of blood?"

Benny hummed, "I can stretch it to 5, but more than that, I'll get weak enough to lose my edge if you need me to fight. When you need me to fight." He knew there was no point in lying to Dean.

Dean stayed quiet for a minute. "I know you like AB negative, but I'm O - universal donor."

Benny shook his head, "No."

"Benny, if it comes to it, if it is necessary you are going to tell me, and we'll figure it out." Dean was determined. "I need you at top strength.  If you end up needing more, I am choosing to give it to you. I...I'm going to need you." Dean added very quietly.

"Okay, I promise to come to you." Benny also promised himself, that he wouldn't let it get to that point.

"Good." Dean leaned up and across Benny a bit to stare him in the eye. "Now two things are going to happen.  One you are going to fuck me. Two I am in charge of the whole thing."

Benny put up a token protest.

"Too much is going wrong.  I want your cock in me, I want you to just wreck me, but I need a center to hold onto, so you don't do anything without my say so, without my express permission." Dean pulled at Benny's wrists, Benny let his hands be lead. "In fact, how about you leave these right here." He wrapped Benny's fingers around the headboard. Benny happily held on.

Dean slowly sat up on Benny, admiring the vampire below him. He ran his hands all over the guys chest, enjoying the feeling of the cool skin, liking how the nipples harden at the touch. He smiled and yanked just a little harder than necessary, just to watch Benny's fingers tighten their grip. He watched as Benny's eyes drifted down to Dean's own nipples, at the piercings in place.

Dean moved his hands to his own body, bringing them slowly up, until they were at the rings, and he pulled.  Both men moaned. "I wasn't sure how I felt about the piercings, but got to admit, they feel really fucking good." He tugged some more, making himself gasp and grind his hips down onto the Benny. "Got to admit, I've kind of wanted you to tug on them with your vamp teeth." That sentence alone was enough to get Benny fully hard. Dean pushed his ass back against Benny's cock, enjoying the feel of it. He moved one of his hands down, making a loose fist, stroking himself, while still playing with one of the nipple rings. He couldn't help but move his hips and Benny died a little at the lap dance. He thrust up, wanting greater friction, but Dean just stopped everything he was doing.  Benny whimpered. "Stay still, you only move when I tell you."

Dean climbed off of Benny and shifted down so that he was kneeling between Benny's legs.  "Remember, hold still." He slowly stretched his tongue out and licked the tip of Benny's cock, catching the bit of precome that had crested. Dean hummed a little in satisfaction.  Then with no other preamble, swallowed down as much of Benny as he could, using his hand to cover the rest and to hold Benny in place. Benny shouted, "Fuck, Dean!"

Dean didn't respond as he was too busy sucking away. He gave as much as he could and Benny was quickly a panting mess. With him being stronger, Dean couldn't really stop the small up and down of Benny's hips, but he didn't want to.  He pulled off long enough to reassure Benny, "you can come whenever you want, I want you to flood my mouth with come." He went back to work, and Benny was lost just a few moments later.

Dean climbed up the bed and said, "You can let go." Benny did and flexed the stiff fingers.  He looked at Dean's smug face, "Thought I was going to fuck you.  I wanted to fuck you." The big tough vampire didn't pout.

The caretaker laughed, "Oh I promise you, you will be." he reached into the bedside table and pulled out a bottle of lube. He coated his middle finger and reached down to play with his own ass. "Now you just stay there and watch me prep myself.  Then, once I'm ready, I'm going to ride you until we both pass out."

Benny leaned over and kissed Dean, "I'm completely okay with that plan."

*******

The next morning the group met up again.  Meg took a look at Charlie, Balthazar, and Dean's faces. "Oh come on, how come everyone else gets to have we're all going to die sex and I get left alone with only toys for comfort?"

Smug and satisfied was not the best look on the trio's faces.  Benny, Cas, and Gilda all refused to make eye contact. Meg just looked at them, "Tell me that at least, someone got a good idea fucked into them." No one had anything. "Right so we send out that girl to breach the hole in the wall and contact Loki, or Crowley."

Dean glared at her, "What, you're just willing to send an innocent woman out to her likely death?"

Meg smiled at him coldly, "Hi I'm Meg. I'm a demon."

Cas admonished her, "Meg..."

She sighed, "Fine.  We don't slaughter the lamb. The things I do for you Clarence."

"I don't understand that reference." Meg shook her head fondly.  She wished she had gotten a piece of the angel, but let it go.  He was clearly fond of Balthazar.

Balthazar looked at the group, "I hate to admit it, but Meg is right." They all stared at him.  He shrugged, "We don't know what's going on, we don't know what to do, who we are fighting.  If we can get her out and get to the bosses, not only do we get extra help, they can whisk her away to safety."

Dean thought about it, "But we can't just send her out without help."

"We don't," Bobby said, "Said some of the best fighters, ones that can't easily be killed.  They might not be able to get through the line with her, but the protection of a few of your best might make their side think twice.  Long enough for her to draw a summoning sign." Bobby looked at Dean, "It's all we got."

Cas added, "She leaves a leg on our side, we can pull her back in and cover her if need be."

Dean dragged a hand down his face, "You are asking me to go up there and tell my brother, the guy who wanted to leave this life behind that he has to risk his girl, risk her life, to help a bunch of monsters try to survive."

Benny just lay his fingers beside Dean, not quite touching, but just being present.

Cas looked at his best friend solemnly, "We are asking you to do your job, we are asking you to keep the whole of your family, all the innocents here safe." He did his head tilt, "Truly, when was the last time you thought of the residents here as monsters?" He paused, "Meg stealing your pie doesn't count."

Dean sighed, "Fuck, you know I hate it when you are right."

Cas smiled and Dean couldn't help but smile back.

"Benny, can you cook up a good breakfast, I'm going to need a bit of a bribe." Benny headed off to the kitchen. "Bobby, Cas, you're sticking around for this conversation. Gilda, Charlie, go around and check on how everyone is doing, see what people need." The two women headed out. "Balth, Meg, can you guys work together long enough to go through those weapons that you secured, see what's good, what might help?'

They both nodded, survival taking place over animosity.

"Right." Dean pushed himself up and out of the room.  He made his way upstairs, to the secure guest suite. He took a deep breath and knocked on the door.


	9. We All Fall Down

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry about the delay on this chapter, but there was life and then just difficulty figuring out how to play this chapter. I'm not sure you're going to be happy with me. Sorry about that.

For all that was going out the house was strangely quiet, or maybe Dean was just very tuned in and that was what made the knock echo down the hall. He squared his shoulders and tried to put a smile on. It was more of a grimace.

Sam opened the door, something that he hadn't been able to do through the night. He looked at his older brother, ready to tear into him, but he paused.  Dean looked exhausted, weary. Sam took a deep breath, "Hey Dean."

"Sammy," Dean said back, "Breakfast is almost ready, and I need to talk to you two."

"Sure, just give us a sec." Sam closed the door and turned to Sarah. She gave him a quick hug and nodded. They left the safety of the room and followed Dean down to the kitchen.  Dean had thought about using the large dining area, but decided sticking to the warmth of the kitchen was the best option.

When they walked in, Benny was just plating a bunch of pancakes and bacon.  Bobby and Cas were sitting at the large farm style table, Bobby pounding back coffee, Cas just watching. Dean began moving the food over to the table.  Benny couldn't help himself and snagged a quick kiss from the caretaker.

Sam felt cliched as he did a spit take with his coffee, "You're gay?" he asked.

Dean leaned into Benny for a moment, "Bi actually, but that isn't really our big concern right now."

Sam didn't want to think about the big concerns so put all his energy into this new development. "How come you never told me?"

Dean sighed, "And how much have we talked, really talked since you left for Stanford? You wanted out of the life so desperately, and I get that, I do, but that meant cutting me mostly out. Then I got this job here, and that took us apart even more. Wasn't exactly time to discuss it at any point. And again, we got bigger problems."

Sam turned to Bobby, "Did you know about this? Does Dad know about this?"

"Look kid, I found out when I got here too, but Benny being a guy is least of the concerns with him." Bobby glared at the vampire, who just smiled back. "Don't know about what your dad knows, haven't talked or even seen him in months. But Sam got to let it go right now, facing imminent death matters more."

Sarah touched a hand to Sam's arm, pulling him back, in a way that only she could, "Sam, what life?"

Sam just shook his head, "It's nothing."

"Sammy, playtime's done. Not asking you to come back, but she needs to know everything now." Dean said simply.

"No, I can't."

"Not about you anymore Sam." Dean looked at Sarah, he honestly was sorry for what he was about to do, "We're hunters Sarah."

Sarah was confused, "Okay, why's that a big deal? I'm not a big PETA person or anything."

"No, not game, monsters. Ghosts, ghouls, demons, everything that goes bump in the night. Any nightmare you've had, we're the ones who stop that kind of shit."

Sarah tried to laugh, "Come on, that stuff's not real." She turned to Sam, "This is a weird joke."

Sam looked sad, resigned, "I learned how to shoot when I was 8. I decapitated a witch when I was 11. Knew how to exorcise demons when a kid should still believe in Santa Claus." He breathed, "I hated every moment of it, I just wanted a normal life. So I applied for college and when I got in, I ran, didn't really look back."

"Bullshit." she said, looking around the table, "It's all bullshit.  I don't know why you are doing this, but stop."

Benny walked over, "I'm sorry, but..." he opened his mouth and his fangs dropped. Sarah screamed and Sam automatically pushed her behind him and then threw a punch. Benny took it and just stepped back a bit.

"What the FUCK DEAN!" Sam yelled.

At this point Balthazar and Meg came in carrying a duffel full of weapons. They both took one look at the scene and walked right back out.

"Watch it Sam. Benny's fine, he doesn't eat people." Dean tried to explain. Sarah wondered how she ended up at a table where that kind of sentence would be said.

"Oh and what you take his word for it, just because you're fucking him?" Sam yelled.

"Other way around actually." Benny called out as he put a bag of peas on his eye. "Really wish your family would stop this." He added to Dean.

Dean just groaned and looked his brother dead in the eye, "Yes because he said so.  You don't come here if you are killing. And if he did start, I would cut his fucking head off, no matter how much I loved him."

The room froze as a tableau and Dean realized what he just said. He shot a frantic look to Benny, begging for him not to comment.  Benny nodded, understanding.

Cas cleared his throat and looked at his best friend, "Dean. The longer we delay, the more a chance of all this falling apart."

Dean took a breath and turned to Sarah, blocking everything else out, "Sarah, this place here? It's a sanctuary, a hospice. Not all monsters are evil, some just want to live. We have teenagers, a woman who was turned to a werewolf against her will. Vampires who don't eat live people, demons who at most cause mischief, even a couple angels who just prefer humanity to heaven.  All these people want is to go about in peace.  My job is to help maintain that peace, and if someone breaks the rules, I'm the one to end them. I'm the caretaker, I keep everyone safe. At least I try to." Dean scrubbed a hand over his face, "Recently, there have been attacks and some of our people killed.  It seems that whoever is behind is gunning for everyone but me in particular - we don't know why. All we know right now is that they used some heavy duty magic to lock us all in.  In a couple days we run out of supplies, blood, potions, the things that keep everyone not killing. We need to get through that barrier and get a message to the people who are in charge of this place, they can help us." Dean hated to dump all of this on her so quickly and could see her struggling to keep up.

Sam was always a smart one though, and could at least figure out part of it. "You found a way through the barrier."

"We think so, there is a chance." Cas was the one to answer. Dean couldn't look at Sam and Sam put it together. "No. NO!" he yelled.

"It's the only option." Sarah watched them, not saying anything, still processing.

"Well what about me then?" Sam offered.

Cas shook his head, "You are a Winchester, not human enough."

That was enough to click it for Sarah, "You think I can make it through the barrier, get a message out."

Dean gave her the respect of looking her dead in the eye, "Yes."

"How long a message?" she asked.

"Not long a drawn sigil on the ground, a call of a name. If your fingers can work fast two minutes." Dean pulled a piece of paper out of his pocket and showed her the symbol, "This will invoke Loki, get him here." It wasn't complex and Sarah easily memorized it.

"I can do this." Sam shook his head at Sarah.

Dean continued to look her dead in the eye, "You will have to be very brave, and very fast. I'm going to send some of our best, but they can't cross that magic. You will be vulnerable.  I have a plan that might help, but you could die."

Sarah raised her chin and ignored Sam's swearing, "But if I don't do this, I will die, right?"

Dean sighed, "Yeah, we all will."

"Then I'll do it."

Everyone in the room was impressed, "Got a good one here Sam." Dean said.

"I'll go with her." Sam replied.

"No you won't. You are out of practice, and will hinder the ones I have going with her." Dean called out to the hallway, "Get your cowardly asses back in here you two." Meg and Balth came in and leaned against the counter.

"Right, now we talk plans." Dean took a sip of coffee. "Benny, Cas, and Meg will go with Sarah, try to keep her as safe as possible."

"You want me to send Sarah off with a vampire, a small girl and an accountant?" Sam protested. He then dropped his jaw as Meg's eyes turned black and the shadow of Cas' wings flared.

"A vampire, a demon, and an angel is a hard combo to kill." Dean explained. "You'll cut through the woods.  When you get to the barrier, Sarah will cross it and call for Loki, keeping a foot in our side so that they can pull her back in."

Dean took a breath, he knew a good number of the people in the room wouldn't like what he said next, "As an added distraction, I'll head up the main road. This has been at least partly about me since the beginning.  If it looks like I'm giving myself up, it should help out your team."

He was right, there was a clamour around the group. He let the concern wash over him for a minute, and then said, "No, it's done. Balth, you'll come with me, I know you aren't the biggest fighter, but you're smart and tricky and can heal me. Otherwise everyone else stays put. Too many people out and about means too many targets. We move in one hour." Dean left the room. Benny followed.

*******

Benny pulled Dean into a shadowed corner, knowing that they didn't have a lot of time, "So, want to talk about what you said in there?" He wrapped himself around the caretaker, lifting him so that Dean was sitting on the small ledge, his legs wrapping around Benny's hips.

"Nope, didn't say nothing." Dean couldn't help himself and nuzzled into Benny's neck.

"Fair enough." Benny quieted and just held Dean.

"I need you to keep Sarah safe."

"I will."

"I need you to come back to me."

Benny took longer to answer, "I'll do my best." He kissed Dean's forehead. "Can you promise me the same?"

"I'll try."

"Can you do a little better than that?" Benny asked.

"I'll try really hard."

"Guess that will have to do." Benny and Dean just held each other, wanting a few minutes of silence.

******

Sam spent his time with Sarah trying to talk her out of it. Finally she smacked her hand against his arm. "It's done Sam. I don't want to die and this seems the best way to avoid that whole being dead thing. Now you can keep bitching or you can hug me and we can talk about how perfect our wedding will be once this is all done with."

"Yes ma'am"

Sam sat in a chair and she climbed into his lap and they talked about flowers and first dances and honeymoons.

*****

Before walking over to Cas, Balthazar turned to Meg, "Will you do your job?"

She rolled her eyes, "What keeping that girl alive, meh."

Balthazar looked at her, "No, your real job."

Meg smiled a little.  She and Balthazar were more alike than either would ever want to admit to, "I'll keep Clarence alive.  Maybe when all this is done, we can all have some fun together." She looked the blonde angel up and down, "I don't find you completely repulsive."

Balthazar winked, "We get through all this, we'll see."

He walked over to Cas. Neither angel said anything, they didn't even touch.  They just stood there and watched each other, seemed to absorb each other's presence. Finally Cas held out his hand. Balthazar took it. That was all that was really needed.

*****

Bobby sorted weapons and did something he hadn't in years.  He prayed.

*****

The two groups left by different entrances.  Sarah and her protectors went out through the side doors off of Dean's room.  And Dean walked right out the front door. Balthazar walked next to him and a few paces down the road they were joined by Sprocket. Dean tried to shoo her away but she wouldn't leave her master's side.

The three walked calmly, confidently.

Balthazar asked, "You ever seen the Wild Bunch?"

Dean smiled, "Hey, maybe we aren't walking to our death, it's possible."

"You know I'm only doing this because of how fond of you Cas is." Balthazar explained.

Dean smirked, "Sure. We'll keep it a secret how good a man you actually are."

"So long as that's understood."

*****

The other group moved quicker as they had slightly farther to go.  When they got to the woods Benny took point, Cas and Meg behind Sarah.  When they were 20 or so feet from where they thought the barrier was they stopped, hidden by the trees.

"When we get the signal from Dean, we run straight and Sarah you cross and hit the dirt, draw as fast as you can.  Don't call the name until the symbol is complete." Meg held a gun, Cas his angel blade.

They waited.

And waited.

Soon Benny's phone rang vibrated in his pocket. "Go" he said and the four dashed for the barrier. Sarah dove and did make it through, though it felt like someone set her skin on fire. She started drawing the sigil, quickly but carefully.

She didn't stop when she heard Cas say, "Uriel."

*****

Dean stood, staring at the road, as two cars pulled up. He wasn't at all surprised when Gordon got out of one of them. Instead he just sighed, "Yup, should have figured on you."

Gordon shook his head, "Dean, Dean, Dean. What's wrong with you? Helping these creatures, you were raised better than this."

Dean shrugged, "Most of these 'creatures' are better at that whole humanity thing than you'll ever be." He patted Sprocket's head as she growled at the hunter, "Good dog." Dean said. "How'd you even find out about this place?"

"No matter how hidden things are there are always rumours.  Plus Dean Winchester drops off the face of the earth, people are going to ask questions, go looking for him.  Some people in particular."

Gordon looked over at the other truck. A man stepped out.

Dean swallowed audibly, "Dad."

******

"Castiel," Uriel intoned, sounding incredibly disappointed. "Why are you doing this? You were always such a good soldier, you were righteous in the rebellion.  No one cast down more fallen angels than you, and now you protect monsters. Father would be ashamed."

Castiel glowered, "I am doing what is right here. This is a place for good, the caretaker is righteous."

Uriel smiled, "You're right about that at least."

Sarah tried to ignore it, she was so close to being done.  She could feel Benny's hand on her ankle, it was the only thing keeping her sane. She heard a crunch of leaves but didn't look up.

This time it was Meg who snarled, "Oh come on. Ruby, you're working with a fucking angel?"

Ruby stood across from Meg, "Hey, a good offer is a good offer."

The men ignored this by play. "Castiel, one chance." Uriel slipped his angel blade down.

Cas shook his head, "You can't cross to our side, our magic still holds enough to stop you."

"Yes it does." Uriel threw his blade hard directly as Castiel.

Meg pushed Cas out of the way, so that the blade impaled her chest. It caused indescribable pain, but wouldn't actually kill her. She smiled at Cas as she dropped to the ground. "Ouch," she said. Cas flung his own blade at Uriel, who ducked out of the way.

"LOKI I CALL THEE!" Sarah yelled and Benny pulled her back in and covered her body with his.

Cas started to pull the blade out of Meg.  There was a rumble in the ground, a sign that the sigil worked. Uriel and Ruby began to retreat as Cas was helping Meg up. He cupped a hand around her face, "Thank you."

"Aw shucks, Clarence, no mushy st-" Meg didn't get a chance to finish as the demon blade thrown into her back took her life away. They all heard Ruby laugh as she disappeared into the woods.

******

Dean swallowed audibly, "Dad."

Balthazar took one look at John Winchester and swore, trying to move in front of Dean, "That's not your father. RUN!!!!"

There was an incredible bang and a brilliant white light and then nothing.

 


	10. Broken Boys

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lots of pain here, emotional and physical. Be advised. Mostly hurt, maybe a tiny bit of comfort, but not really.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay so this is a rough, violent chapter, mostly it will be in line with the violence on the show, but I'm going to be abusing Dean. Also Meg is dead, and others are injured, so we've got the fallout from that. I'm also messing with the canon on angel's a bit to suit my needs.

Bobby, Sam, and Charlie were sitting, tense, in the library when they felt the ground shake.

"Is that a good shake or a bad one?" Charlie asked the men. They're response was to pick up their guns and head for the door. Charlie grabbed a gun as well and followed.

They stood on the porch and saw figures emerge from the forest. Benny was carrying Sarah, Cas was carrying Meg. Sam took off running, not caring that he was making himself a target. Bobby swore and followed. This time Charlie stayed put.

"Don't worry brother, she just passed out from the adrenaline." Benny said as he transferred Sarah to Sam's arms. Benny turned to Cas, "You want me to take her, Cas?"

"No." Cas pulled Meg's body closer to his chest.

Sam looked over, "So the demon died?"

Bobby had caught up and heard this. He hit Sam up the head, "Meg died. Her name was Meg. You will show her the proper respect."

"But it's a dead demon, how are we supposed to mourn that?" Sam clearly didn't quite get it. Benny growled a little, fangs dropping just a tiny bit.

But that was nowhere near as scary as the dead look on the angel's face, "She was Dean's friend, she was my friend. She died because she wanted me safe. Speak one more word against her, and I will burn your eyes from your body and the last thing you will see is your Sarah crying in agony."

Sam shuddered at the sincerity on the angel's face.

"Come on Cas, let's get her inside. We still need to find out what happened to Dean and Balthazar, and if our plan even worked." Cas nodded and they all walked back into the house.

In the lobby they realized the plan worked. There stood Loki, looking sad. He looked down at Meg's body. "I'm sorry. She was a pain in the ass, but was funny for it." He then sighed, "Shit, I didn't even know something like this could be pulled off." He looked around, "Where's Dean? The outside barrier is down, and I don't know if that is a good thing or a bad thing."

Bobby was the one to speak up, "He and Balthazar went up the main road to cause a distraction. They aren't back yet."

Gabriel looked around, "Well, that's not good. Benny, with me. Moose put your girl down and come along." Sam wanted to protest, but the look on the god's face had him changing his mind.

"Charlie?" he asked as he put Sarah on a couch.

"I'll stay with her, don't worry." Charlie sat and took Sarah's hand.

"Let me just..." Cas began.

"No, you see to Meg, mourn. We've got this." The trickster said.

Cas nodded and took Meg's body to a back room.

"Saddle up boys, we've got a caretaker to collect." The god, the vampire, and the Winchester went out the front door.

******

When Dean came to, he was alone, in an opulent room, not tied up, not damaged in any way.

"Well fuck, this isn't going to go well." he said out loud.

"It's really not," was Gordon's reply as he walked into the space.

*****

They heard the yelps and cries of Sprocket before they saw anything. All three men ran, coming to an abrupt stop at what they saw.

Sprocket was hovering over Balthazar's prone body, shielding it as best she could. There was no Dean. What could also be seen was a small tear in the magics that protected the sanctuary.

"That shouldn't be possible." Loki said, "we shouldn't even be able to see a tear like that, let alone have the tear even exist. What happened here?" He looked to the angel.

It was Benny who noticed it, "Why is he breathing? Angels don't need to breath."

Sprocket cried again, and that is when they all noticed the light grey shadows in the earth. Loki fell to his knees beside Balthazar, "Oh brother, what happened to you?"

Benny and Sam froze at that pronouncement. They looked at each other, not understanding, but knowing action needed to be taken.

"We need to get him back to the house. He needs to be healed."

Loki snapped his fingers and all of them were back in the house.

Charlie yelled in surprise and Cas came running. For a second he thought Balthazar lost as well, and understood what humans meant by heartbroken. He dropped beside his lover and was thankful when he heard a groan. He lay his hand on Balth's head, to try to heal whatever the injury was, and a light sprung out, but it didn't seem to do much.

"Cas, you can't heal this." Loki said quietly.

"I don't undertand." was the reply.

"His wings were burned away." Loki sounded so unbearably sad.

Castiel, however, was furious, "Balthazar wouldn't fall. He isn't fallen!"

"No, he wouldn't," Loki agreed, "He was pushed."

"No one has the power to push."

There was a cough and wince, "Michael does."

They all turned and looked at Balthazar who was trying to sit up. Castiel helped him. He cupped his hand around his now mortal love, "I can't fix this."

"I know. It will be fine."

"No it won't."

Balthazar smiled, his bluntness was one of the great charms of Castiel, "No it won't, but it will be something." He turned to the rest, "It is Michael, he's in charge of all this. I don't know why, he didn't really say anything. But..." He paused, knowing this wouldn't go over well, "He's wearing John Winchester. He's got Dean."

*****

The gilt and white room was starting to look a little worse for wear, but so was Gordon.  Dean was more than capable of handling a fight against a fellow hunter and his tattoos were still offering him extra protection. 

"You're a betrayal of everything we stand for." Gordon said, spitting some blood out.

"That's your trash talk, buddy you need to step up your game." Dean replied as he swung and missed.

"Your daddy is ashamed of you, that's why he agreed to the deal."

Dean pushed back to avoid a kick, "Balth said it wasn't my dad, so who's wearing him, demon?"

Gordon smirked, "Wouldn't you like to know?"

Dean skirted around a table, "Well ya, that's why I asked."

"Sorry, not my job to tell you, I'm just supposed to soften you up some, for the next guy." Gordon stepped back and smiled.

"Who's that?" Dean asked.

"Me." Dean turned at the woman's voice, saw some blonde hair before she knocked him cold with a baseball bat.

*****

Sam was completely confused and very pissed.  Beyond anything else, Dean was now missing and that was unacceptable.

"Who's Michael? And what do you mean wearing our Dad? Is he a demon?" He then looked at the short man, "Also, why the fuck did you call that guy brother?"

Loki went very, very still. "I'm sure you misheard me."

Benny looked at him, "I know I didn't, you said brother." He paused and thought about it for a moment and then looked at Bobby, "Dean would have known, which means you know."

Bobby sighed and looked at the trickster, "Now's time."

Cas stood and moved in front of Loki, he just stood there in silence for awhile and then reached out, light searing from his hand. "You are an angel."

Loki smiled, it was a sad, bitter look, "Thought you would have figured it out long before now Cassie, little disappointed in you."

Cas stepped back, "Hiding as a trickster, masks your power..." His eyes darted around the room, "No adds to your power, but to pull all this off, had to have a lot of power to begin with. You're not just a soldier or messenger."

"No, not  _a_ messenger." was his reply.

"Oh Holy Fuck." Balthazar said still sitting on the ground, "Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck. I need a cocktail."

Charlie was not comforted by that response, "Who are you?"

"They called me Gabriel."

******

Dean came to, tied to a chair, still in the pretty room, though it had been repaired of all damages. He looked at the woman sitting across from him. A spot on his ribs ached from more than bruises.

He sighed, "Great a demon."

She smiled, "Got it in one there Dean."

"Gordon wouldn't really work with a demon. He's an ass, but he is a hunter."

"So are you and you work with demons." She looked him up and down, "One might even say you are a bit of a demon's bitch."

"Go to hell." was Dean's response.

"Clever." She walked over and patted his cheek, "Been there, not aching to go back." She reared back and punched him, breaking his nose. "You know how many of us your dad kept exorcising? The Winchester line needs to be stamped out."

"But you're working with a guy who's currently wearing my dad. Seems a mite problematic for you. But then again, don't think planning is your strong suit." He smirked and she backhanded the look off his face.

"He's going to burn up soon enough, not quite the right meat suit for who's riding him." She walked over to the table and picked up a thin blade. "I killed Meg you know." she said it easily, cheerfully. "She was a good friend once, believed in Lucifer, a true follower. Then she gets top side and forgets just how good she was, slides into that grey, slides into liking an angel." She tsked, "Did her a favour really."

"I'm going to destroy you."

"Oh yeah, how you going to do that, all tied up there?" She used the blade to slowly cut at the buttons on Dean's shirt, exposing his chest. She dipped a fingernail into one of the nipple piercings and yanked hard.

"Okay, you're right, I probably won't destroy you. But Cas, is still alive, otherwise you would have crowed about killing him too. He's going to be the one to destroy you, burn you up, burn you out and I'll be there to watch and laugh."

"Somehow I doubt that, not with what comes up after me." She climbed into Dean's lap and looked at the tattoo to the side along his rib cage. "This here, that's what helps your healing right? Oops." She dragged the blade over, through, the healing sigil again and again, until there were just ribbons of flesh and Dean passed out.

*******

"You're Gabriel? Like Gabriel, Gabriel?" Sam sat on the ground next to Balthazar, this day was just getting to be too much for him.

"Yup." was his reply.

"It's an honour." Balthazar said quietly.

"No it isn't, it's a lie." Castiel added.

"Sorry, little brother, 100% truth. I'm the messenger, holder of the horn of truth, archangel, he of many wings..."

"You knew Lucifer, loved Lucifer." Castiel didn't know what he felt.

"He was my big brother, taught me most of the neat tricks I know." Gabriel smiled at the memories for a moment.

"But you didn't fall with him, you just went missing."

"I was just tired of all the fighting. Michael was a pretentious ass, Lucifer was a angry bag of dicks, Raphael was so rigid, I just couldn't take it anymore, that's not what it was supposed to be like. So after the rebellion was all done, I just took off. Chilled, hid, became a trickster, created this place. Earth, humans, are way more fun than heaven and angels, well except for maybe you two. Glad you started bumping uglies by the way."

"Does Michael know it is you here, is that why he's come after us, this place?" Castiel was relentless in trying to figure it all out.

Gabriel sighed, "I don't know. Mostly, knowing Mikey, he's just offended by this place on principle, it's too messy. Add in that a Winchester is running this place, it's a betrayal of all that is supposed to be ordered in the universe."

"Why would Dean being caretaker make a difference?" It was Bobby who asked the question.

Gabe sighed and snapped a giant pina colada into existence, "Because Dean is technically his true vessel."

This time it was Cas who said, "Fuck fuck fuck fuck."

*****

Dean slowly came to, feeling an amount of pain he hadn't experienced in years.  Sitting across from him now was a dark skinned man in a bespoke suit, a look of disdain on his face.

"You know, I expected more from you." the deep voice intoned.

"Well that's me, a grand disappointment to most. So how bout you let me go?" Dean tried to rotate his neck a bit, but that just made the room spin.

"Because you upset the balance and need to be taken care of." was the man's reply. "That house, _that sanctuary_ , is against God's plan."

"Oh, did he tell you that? You must be well connected."

"As a matter of fact, I am." The man adjusted his shirt cuffs as the door to the room opened and another walked in.

Just as he said before, Dean said, "Hi Dad."

******

Sarah woke to the room exploded into noise.  It seemed that everyone was yelling at each other and she winced, her head aching. It was Balthazar who actually notice her state, having been too weak himself to really take part in the yelling. He drew enough breath to let out a shrill whistle, "The girl of the hour, the one who's given us a chance here has woken up, maybe we should all be thanking her?"

Gabriel went over and ran a hand across her head, "You're fine, you did great. Here have a toy surprise." He handed her a kinder egg. She couldn't help but giggle a little manically.

Cas nodded at her, "You were very brave." He then turned back to Gabriel, "You consulted a seer before hiring Dean, his being the true vessel shouldn't matter in this timeline. He is not the Righteous Man here."

Gabriel raised an eyebrow, "And how would you know that?"

Cas flushed a little, "I went to see her, to find out if being with Balthazar was a good idea."

"Oh, how sweet." Balthazar said.

Cas flushed more, "Still this is not a place and time where Dean being the true vessel for Michael should matter."

"Except you are forgetting this whole Mikey is an ass in reality, one who would view this as unacceptable behaviour for his meat suit." Gabriel sighed, "His view is simple. Angels are best, demons are worst, humans are to be barely tolerated. He hasn't done the best job of following Dad's love the people speech. And since no one has heard from Dad in a long time, Michael has probably decided to be the great guy in charge of order, all of what we have here would offend him."

Benny grew tired of all the speeches and exposition and threw a bottle at the wall, "This is all great. What are we doing to get Dean back?" He glared at the archangel, "You find him and we bring him home."

"It's not that easy, Mikey would have a safe house that makes the magics here look like child's play."

Benny got up in Gabriel's face, "I don't give a damn about whatever sibling bullshit you have going on, find Dean, or I find out how an archangel tastes. I'm getting mighty thirsty."

As powerful as he was, the threat still made Gabriel nervous.

******

"Hello Son." John Winchester said.

Dean rolled the eye that was still open, "I think that we've well established that that pretense is no longer needed. So who am I really talking to?" He expected to see a flare of black eyes, not the lightening and wavering of multiple giant wings. He counted the shadows.

"Huh, I warrant an archangel intervention. I might even be a little impressed."

There was a smile on John's face that clearly didn't belong on it, "You should be."

Dean thought about it for awhile, thought about the deaths, the notes, "You're Michael."

A brow was raised, "And how do you know that."

"You're the sword, the law. I am supposedly some sort of betrayer, only the sword would care about that." Dean tilted his head, in a gesture he picked up from Cas over the years, "But angels need consent, why would my dad give you consent?"

"Because I told him I could return his wayward children, that I could help him rid the world of evil."

"That blonde said you're burning him up."

Michael held out his hands, looked at the skin, "John's a close fit, but not my true fit. That would be you."

"Like hell I'm ever letting you ride me." Dean snarled.

"I don't particularly want to 'ride' you, I just want you to behave."

"That's what all this bullshit has been about? Behaving. You killed Pam, Ambrel, what to get me to go back to being a mindless hunter?"

"You being a proper hunter, is the correct order for the world." To Michael that was that, it was simple. "You take down that abomination of an estate, like you should have done the moment you found out about it. And then you return to your father's side like a good soldier and all will be well. It's so easy, why can't you see that."

"Why hire that demon, and Gordon, why have this lackey angel?"

"It took awhile to get your father to agree, I had Uriel recruit, start the work. His choices were perhaps not the best." Ruby and Gordon returned to the room in time to hear that, and weren't necessarily amused.

"So what if I say no?" Michael brushed lint of John's jeans.

"Then they'll make you say yes."

"Fuck off." Dean said. Uriel put an angel blade through his thigh.

*******

Gabriel cast out with all his mojo while everyone watched. He drained himself, searching knowing how looked down Michael would have Dean. But Gabriel had Dean's blood, had carved the wards into the caretaker himself and could feel Dean's soul screaming.

"Oh that's not good." Gabriel didn't mean to say that out loud.

*******

Dean had been tortured before, but this was taking it to a whole new level. The worst part of it was that Michael kept healing him, and one of the other three would take over again. Michael would pat his head, run a cool cloth over his face and in his father's voice say, "just stop, let go, you don't need to suffer like this, not for abominations, not for monsters."

For some odd reason it was the fifth round, near as he could tell, this time he had lost an ear, when Michael altered his words slightly, "Why are you suffering for those who have no souls, who can't care for you and your pain here? In your shoes they would all sell you out."

Dean looked his dad, saw nothing of his dad but the skin, "You have no idea how wrong you are do you?"

There was only one course of action in Dean's mind left to him. He hated to break his promise to Benny, but he was the caretaker, it was his job to keep them all safe. Dean would keep everyone safe, that is why he was hired, that is why he kept the job, that is what his life was for. He looked at the weakest link in the room.

"Hey, Gordon did you know that I am currently fucking a vampire? I love it, absolutely love it when he drives his large hard cock into my ass. I love going down on him, love it when he runs his fangs all over me. Wonder if that is what your sister felt, maybe she let herself get turned because she knew ain't nobody who will own you, break you down as well as a vamp." Dean smiled and licked his lips. "If I think about it, I can still taste his cum. Should show you where I intend to let him drink from me when I get back."

The room froze for a moment, stunned at Dean's audacity. It was so unexpected, neither Michael, nor Uriel could stop him, and Ruby didn't even want to. She just smiled as Gordon grabbed the angel blade from Uriel and sliced Dean's head clean off.

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm now going to hide.


	11. Is this Real, Is this Heaven?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dean's dead.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Like a lot of this story, going for a hybrid between canon situational stuff and half I make up. But lots of play on canon stories in here.

Dean woke in his room. It was all pale blue, cars and dinosaurs strewn everywhere. Sun filtered in through simple white curtains. It was a space he hadn't thought of for years, a safe place he buried back in his mind. The door creaked open. He looked over.

He had to clear his throat to get out the words, "Hi Mom."

********

A wash of golden light spread through the sanctuary, sweeping over everyone. Gabriel hung his head. "May you be in Heaven half an hour before the Devil knows you're dead." he said quietly. He should have gone more traditional, even a Norse prayer for the dead, but for Dean Winchester, that line seemed to make the most sense. He could feel the protections, the powers surrounding the land increasing, any tears, any problems melting away.

"What the fuck was that?" Benny asked, staring at Gabriel.

Gabriel took a breath, knowing there was a good shot someone was going to hurt him. "That was Dean sacrificing his life, in order to protect all of us here." Gabriel was a little surprised that it was Cas that threw the first punch at him.

********

She sat on the bed, hair cascading around her face. "Oh, baby, did you have a nightmare?" Mary patted his hair, pushed his hair back.

"Mom?" Dean asked, confused.

"You know that monsters can't get you right? Angels are looking out for you, I promise." She hugged her little boy. "Want me to sing you back to sleep?"

Dean froze, the moment triggering something in his brain. "Mom look at me, I'm not a kid."

She just started singing Hey Jude.

Dean got up out of the bed. She paused, "Baby where are you going?"

"This isn't right? Is this heaven? I died, I know I died. So what's going on?" Dean looked at her.

"Nothing, just a nightmare, you should rest."

"And if I don't?"

"Silly boy, little ones need sleep." It was a memory, it wasn't a memory. It was a strange moment, and one he needed to escape from.

"You're not her, not really." Dean headed to the door.

"How do you know?" The vision of his mom asked.

"Because she wouldn't hold me back." He opened the door and walked through to an empty street.

*******

Cas pinned Gabriel to the wall. Gabriel knew he was stronger, but he let it happen, "Bring him back." For Cas it was simple.

For Gabriel it wasn't, "I can't just snap my fingers and have Deano magically appear."

A growl from Benny, "Well what can you do?"

Gabriel watched as all the people in the room surrounded him. He sighed, "Look there are just too many factors. Dean is dead. There wouldn't have been that wave of power if he was alive. Now if we can find his body, if his corpse is intact, if then we can find his soul, if he wants to return, if we can gather the right mojo, then maybe we can get him back. But..."

It was Sam who asked, "But what?"

"Any one of those factors is altered, to get Dean back will require a sacrifice for the sacrificed."

******

It was an empty road, Dean figured all he could do was start walking down it. It didn't look familiar, but then he had been on so many roads, it didn't really matter. He wished there was some background music playing, the mood seemed to call for it. He came across the Impala and saw a box of firecrackers. A young Sam came running, "Dean you promised, come on!" Dean let himself be dragged into the field.

******

"How much of a sacrifice?" Benny asked.

Gabriel shrugged, "Hard to know until we know the situation."

For Benny it was easy, "Whatever you need to take, you take from me." Gabriel looked at him, looked at how serious he was, and nodded.

"First, we need to find where they all are, and storm the castle. Cas you need to go to Heaven and see if you can find Dean's soul there."

"Why can't you go?" Cas asked.

"I go back, my gig is up, I'll have to stay back, help run the show. I like it here." Cas grew furious at the selfishness.

Cas pulled down his angel blade, "Gabriel, see the field where all the fucks I have to give are planted?"

"What?" Gabriel was confused.

"Notice that it lies barren."

Balthazar laughed, weakly, but it was a laugh. It was an exchange that was often heard between Meg and Dean.

Cas continued, "The best shot we have is if you go to Heaven, you are more powerful than I, you can find him and extract him more efficiently than I." Cas' face grew harder, "Besides, there are those on this plane that I have to deal with."

"Little bro, revenge isn't," Gabriel began.

"They killed Meg, they killed Dean, they threw Balthazar down. They will pay, I will make them pay." There was a rumble of thunder as Cas' wings shadowed the room. Everyone was just a little scared.

Gabriel gently explained, "Cas, I go back, I don't come out. More than that, I don't know if I'd even have a chance to find Dean, and no way do I get to perform the mojo to put Humpty Dumpty back together. Not all of it would be the type of thing angels do. Yeah it's a little selfish, but it's also true. Plus, you don't have the strength to go against Michael. Hell I don't have the strength to go against him, but I think I have a pretty killer plan for you, me, and Benny here. That demon blade that took down Meg also plays a part." Gabriel finally grinned that trickster grin, "Trust me, it's going to be awesome."

******

Dean watched the fireworks explode, watched young Sammy cheer. He so desperately wanted to rest, to stay in this moment. He looked to the woods and saw a small path. There just at the edge was some he knew, someone not a part of this memory. While Sam looked at the sky, Dean walked away.

"Hey Alfie," Dean said.

"Hi Dean, I'm sorry you died." Samandriel said sincerely.

"Yeah, not a big fan myself." Dean looked back to Sam, looked to the path in front. "So is this what heaven is, a giant clip show?"

"Most don't really question it, people like their favourite memories."

Dean snorted, "Well I ain't most." He looked past the young angel, "What happens if I walk down there?"

Samandriel shrugged, "Another memory, another road. You can just stay at any point."

"And if I keep moving?" Dean asked.

"Those on earth are trying to get you back. You keep moving they might have a chance."

"Can you come back from decapitation?" Dean was honestly curious.

"Not my department." He wished he had a better answer.

"Well fortune favours the brave, right?" Dean walked into the woods.  Maybe he couldn't help but whistle Teddy Bear Picnic, but his brain was always a little weird.

*******

Gabriel, Benny, and Cas stood outside the ugly warehouse. It had taken the work of the seer, two witches, and Gabriel's blood to find Michael's location. Benny managed to catch a glimpse inside. "There seem to be about a half dozen angels guarding some closed off room. How do we fight that many?" Benny let his fangs drop.

Gabriel looked to Cas, "We don't." Cas understood.  He looked around and saw a sharp piece of broken glass. He handed it to Benny and started to undo his shirt.

*******

The woods quickly turned to a field. There was Bobby with a bag and a mitt on hand, ready to throw the ball to Dean.

"Oh come on, try playing fair would you!" Dean shouted uselessly at the sky. He forced himself to walk by Bobby, ignoring his calls.

*******

Cas walked into the building and faced his brothers. He spoke in a loud voice, "Let myself and my compatriots pass! We are here to collect Dean." The door slid open a little and Uriel pushed through, closing it behind him.

"The mud monkey is dead." Uriel intoned.

"I know, but we still want him." Almost as one all the angels dropped their blades and Uriel sneered, "And how do you intend to fight all of us?"

"I don't." Cas proclaimed. He pulled open his shirt to show the angel ward carved into his chest. He slammed his bloody hand against himself and the room was flooded with light as all the angels were sent home.

Gabriel and Benny walked in to the empty space. "That leaves the vampire hunter, the demon, and the archangel." Benny said approaching the door.

"That's the title of a metal album or a really bad porno." Gabriel snorted.

"You should ask Cas about his new porn habit sometime." Benny offered, a last laugh before battle.

*******

Dean pushed the door to the men's bathroom open and stepped into a motel room. There was baby Sam, crying, and no sight of Dad. Dean went and picked Sammy up, seeing that he was about a year old. Dean felt his heart break as he realized what this was.

Sure enough, Sam calmed and opened his eyes, "Dee" he said.

Dean hung his head, not knowing if he could muster the strength to keep moving. It was nice to be somewhere where Sam needed him, wanted him. He had missed that so much. He wanted just a moment. So he sat on the bed and flicked the t.v. on.

It was supposed to be Ninja Turtles, but instead Cas' face appeared blurry, staticy. "Dean please keep moving, I am attempting to find you, there is a way to return to your body."

"Maybe I'm happy here Cas. It is heaven after all." Dean smiled.

"If you were happy, then you wouldn't be flashing your sad smile." Cas blinked out.

Dean put the baby down and opened the motel door.

*******

There was no way to make a subtle entrance, or a surprise attack, so Gabriel did what he thought was logical, he knocked.

Gordon was the one to answer. He ushered them in. Michael sat on the couch, legs crossed, Dean's body at his feet. Benny's eyes tracked the blood spray and saw Dean's head under the boot of the demon. Benny forgot to think, forgot his promise to Lenore, to Dean, to himself and turned swiftly and before he could protect himself, Benny's fangs ripped out Gordon's throat. He couldn't help himself and lapped at the blood a bit.

Michael sneered, "And these are the monsters you help brother."

"Hey kill a man's lover, he's bound to get a mite testy." Gabriel shrugged, "How's it going Mikey?"

Ruby was always good at self preservation and opened her mouth to exit the room, but couldn't escape. She turned to Michael, who just shrugged. The angels ignored the demon and the vampire. Benny pulled out the demon blade. Ruby took a chance and charged, hoping to get past, to knock him over, to escape. But Benny just rolled with her as she hit him, brought her down to the ground. There was twisting, punching, clawing, but in the end, Benny slammed the blade down into her chest. "That was for Meg." A crackle of light and Ruby was gone.

The two angels kept up their staring contest and Benny felt a tear slip as he went to collect Dean's head and move it closer to the body.

*******

This time when Dean opened a door, it was to a space that he didn't recognize. It was some sort of enclosed garden, and there just down the path was an old man, tend to the roses. He walked over, "Hello." Dean said.

The man stood, back creaking, "Hello Dean. It is a pleasure. I'm Joshua." He put down his tools, "I imagine that Castiel will be here directly. Have a seat." They sat at a small table.

Sure enough Castiel soon joined them, and the angel couldn't help himself. He yanked Dean out of his seat and crushed him in a hug, "I am very disappointed in you for dying."

Dean laughed, "Sorry buddy." He held Cas tight.

Joshua smiled, "You are here to retrieve this young man I take it?"

"If it is possible yes. There are those on earth not ready to say goodbye yet. He also did not tender resignation from his employment and that is just rude." Dean snorted at Cas' stiff words.

"And Dean, do you wish to return?" Joshua asked.

Dean thought about it, really thought about it. He had one question that would solve the debate, "Would Benny ever make it to heaven?"

"No, monsters when killed are left to Purgatory."

"Huh, good to know." Dean always liked new intel, "In that case, yup I want to go back."

Joshua hadn't really expected different, "Your willingness to return will help a great deal. It is a large gift that you ask for though, and Father hasn't been seen for a long time."

Castiel looked at the elder angel, "Gabriel had a plan."

Joshua shuddered, "It's been thousands of years since I heard those words, and still they offer no comfort." He sighed, "Go through that door, maybe you'll be lucky. If you are, do not think that there will be a repeat. Be more careful with your body Dean."

"Thank you sir." Dean and Cas headed to the exit.

*******

Benny moved the head so that it leaned against the neck and just sat on the ground. He waited for whatever it was that Gabriel had planned. He was more than willing to give up his existence for Dean. He had had a couple weeks of true happiness, the first in decades. It was enough, he figured the universe didn't owe him nothing at this point.

Michael stood, both angels had their blades out and they circled the table. "It is good to see you brother." Michael said.

"Wish I could say the same, but you kind of killed some of my friends, not cool."

"They were beneath you." Michael sneered.

"They were great. Good humans, good creatures, a sort of decent demon. Not your role to kill them Mikey."

"That place is not proper. It is our duty to weed out evil and offer justice to the corrupted." Michael circled closer to Gabriel.

Gabriel just rolled his eyes, "Great I disappear for a _few_ years and you become an even bigger bag of dicks than Luc? Come on Michael, the whole point of this is that it doesn't harm anyone."

"You were always a coward." Gabriel's eyes hardened at that insult.

"No, I was a guy who loved his brothers. I didn't run from fear, I ran so I didn't have to choose. Everyone was wrong then, I just was the only one to do something about it."

There was a clash of blade, Benny looked on, waited for whatever it was that Gabriel had planned.

It was a couple minutes of back and forth, and Michael seemed to have the edge, "You are weak, always have been weak. You talk of love, but that is just a trick, a sham. You abandoned your duty, you abandoned order, abandoned rule. Brother you disappoint me."

"Yeah I always did. But you know what else is a trick?" Gabriel dropped his blade and smiled. "This. Close your eyes Benny, don't want to burn out those pretty blues."

Benny saw Gabriel snap his fingers and quickly shut his eyes, ready to die for Dean. Even with them closed he was seared with the image of six golden wings flaring out the yellow growing brighter and brighter, engulfing the room.

*******

Dean opened one last door.


	12. Can a Heart that Doesn't Beat, Break?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Aftermath. Death. Grief. Guilt. All the fun Winchester stuff.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Second to last chapter here. So close to the end.

Dean hurt, felt so tired, so weak. But he felt. He could feel the hand on his chest, could feel the bruises, the cuts, his neck felt rather tender. He slowly blinked his eyes open and saw the opulent walls of the room. He shifted a little and saw Benny. He smiled; it split his lip open again, "Awww that long face for me?" He coughed, throat rough from having been severed.

Benny felt a tear fall. "Asshole. How was this keeping your promise?"

"Hey, I'm here aren't I? Help me up." Benny gently pulled at Dean until he was sitting upright, leaning back against the gilt armchair. "So what happened?"

"Well you died in spectacular fashion." Benny leaned with him.

"I know that. Heaven, ain't that great, it has to be said. But how did you get me back? Cas helped, I know that."

"I did at that." Cas walked through the door. He crouched in front of Dean and placed a hand on his head. The aches soothed away. "You are well?"

"Well enough." Dean paused, "Wait, how's Balth?" The last he remembered of being taken was watching the snarky angel fall to the ground.

Cas hung his head, "Michael pushed, he is mortal now."

Dean placed a comforting hand on his best friend's shoulder, "We'll help him get sorted, he'll learn about hangovers, it will be okay. Besides maybe Loki can work some mojo."

Benny and Cas looked at each other, "Loki...Gabriel -"

"Shit, I knew he was an angel, but that high up, damn." Dean shook his head fondly, "No wonder you got me back, where is the bastard."

A strained silence, a look away. Dean finally notices the six winged imprint on the wall, where a body clearly slammed into and then vanished. "Where is he Cas?"

Benny put an arm around his love, it was pushed away.

"Cas?" Dean asked.

"You were dead, you sacrificed yourself in a stupidly spectacular fashion. It would take a tremendous act to bring you back. Benny offered himself up as the price, but it wouldn't have been enough. Not to restore you, not to pull Michael from your father."

It was too much for Dean to understand, except for that last word, "Dad." He looked around the room and saw the body of his father lying there, prone. Though healed, Dean was still weak and he crawled over, rolling his dad to see the older man's face. He looked, gaunt, worn. "Cas fix him up buddy."

Cas lay a hand on the elder Winchester's head, but little happened, "I'm sorry Dean, I can make him comfortable, but Michael burned him out too much. He doesn't have much longer."

Dean glared, "Then what good are you?"

Castiel reared back in shock, never had Dean spoken to him like that. He stepped back, and Benny took his hand and shook his head. The vampire and angel stayed quiet and watched as John woke, Dean clutching his father's hand.

"Hey son."

"Dad, what the fuck?" Dean asked quietly.

"Who says no to an archangel?" John laughed, coughing a little blood, "It seemed like a good offer."

"Winchesters don't make deals." Dean replied.

"Yeah we do, if it's for the greater good. Just turns out you have a better understanding of greater good than I do." It was the first kind thing John had said to Dean in years. He coughed some more. "I'm sorry." Dean tried to offer forgiveness but John Winchester was already gone.

Dean just sat there and stared at his father's body, at the wing marks on the wall. His shoulders slumped and he pressed his palms into his eyes. It was just too fucking much. "Cas get us all home." There was a rustle and the three and the body were deposited on the front porch of the sanctuary.

At the noise everyone came running from inside. Sam's legs being what they were, he was the first to arrive, to see Dean sitting beside their father's body. He dropped to the ground and wrapped Dean into a desperate hug. "They said you died."

"Only for a little bit." Dean hugged his little brother back, "I'm here Sammy, it's fine, all fine." Dean wondered if everyone could hear the lie.

Sam saw his father's body out of the corner of his eye. He had no words, none. Sarah sat down and joined the hug, trying to offer comfort to Sam.

"We'll have a hunter's funeral in a little bit." Dean promised. He eased himself out of Sam's death grip. "I just need a few moments okay? Help Cas and Benny build a pyre." Dean walked into the house towards his room.  Bobby stood at the door and Dean just said, "please, please." Bobby walked away.

Luckily the shower drowned out most of Dean's sobs.

That night a good number of the residents came out to the fire, not for any respect for John Winchester, but for all the love and respect that they had for Dean. By now word had spread of Dean's death sacrifice and return and many thanked him, talked of how they would miss Loki. Dean flinched a little every time the gods name was called. Benny tried to hold his hand, Dean always brushed away. The Winchesters got really, really drunk that night. No one could blame them.

Bobby left the next day, ready for home. He looked at Dean, "Happy you're still here boy. Suppose you could bring Benny by for a visit sometime, I might not even kill him." Dean smiled politely and wished safe journey.

Sam and Sarah left the day after that, promising to better stay in touch, to talk of wedding plans, of being a better family. Dean wondered if they would keep that promise. He asked Charlie when she was heading out. She flushed red and said she could work from anywhere. He caught Gilda's smile and said cool.

Benny knocked on his door that night there was no response.

*****

Benny and Cas sat in the kitchen. It had been three days, and Dean and Balthazar had pretty much spent them drunk together, ignoring everyone else. Benny was pissed, Castiel was scared.

"I don't know how to help Balthazar." Castiel admitted. "I would go to Dean for advice...but," Cas hesitated.

"But he's been fucked up since he got back." Benny finished Cas' sentence. Castiel nodded glumly. Benny said, "We have to divide and conquer, brother. Need to remind them to keep going." Benny knocked back his own shot of whiskey and headed to the library. Cas followed.

The scene was unpleasant. Bottles were strewn about, the air stale, both men on the floor, looking wrecked.

Cas walked over to Balthazar and cupped his face with his hand. With a flutter they were gone.

Benny just sat on the ground beside Dean and waited.

*****

Balthazar woke to feel a cool cloth on his brow. He felt horrible. His skin felt too tight, he could feel his missing wings. He also was greatly annoyed at the limitations of a mortal frame, he couldn't even get through half a bottle of brandy before feeling sink. He reluctantly opened his eyes, to see Castiel's worried face.

"I'm fine." He pushed Cas' hand away.

"No, you are not," was the reply. Cas moved the cloth to neck and shoulder and Balth had to admit it felt good.

"I will be fine." Balthazar tried.

"Is getting drunk, staying drunk how you intend to be fine?"

Balthazar took a breath, admitted what he had been ignoring, "It's so quiet, in my head. I can't hear the host, I can't feel that connection. I see you, but not all of you. I don't know what to do."

Castiel placed a gentle kiss on his brow. "You learn to adapt."

"Just that easy?" Balthazar shook his head, "You should go home, find someone else."

"Silly man, I am home. Here is home." Castiel explained. He moved so he sat in Balthazar's lap. He knew that he could be serious, tell Balthazar how much he was loved, cared for, how Castiel would stay with the now mortal man until he died, and then join him in heaven. Instead he went with, "If you stay sober, I'll try to figure out those other 4 ways you can ride my cock."

Balthazar laughed, and then groaned at the pain it flared in his head, "I suppose it's a fair deal." Castiel poured his healing energy into his kiss.

*****

Dean eventually rolled his head along the couch and looked at Benny, "So how did Gordon Walker taste?"

"That's what you lead with after days of not talking?"

"Well, I suppose I'm still caretaker here. You drank live human at least a bit, aren't I supposed to do something about that?" Dean shrugged. "I could kill you, I should kill you. What's one more death on my head after all of this?" He grabbed the bottle of jack and took a swallow.

Benny pulled the bottle away, "I won't apologize for killing the guy who killed you." He also added, "Is that what this is? Punishment?"

Dean sighed, "So dramatic, you'd think you were the one to die." He stumbled upright, looking for more whiskey. Benny easily held him in place.

"Dean..." Benny looked at his love, realized just how broken he was.

"How do you live with one of the most powerful beings in all of creation, dying for you? How do you go on, after you've seen heaven? Do I sing a happy musical number, fuck a vampire that's bad for me, realize the power of friendship?" He snarked.

"I was never the biggest fan of Season 6 Buffy. And as far as I know I'm the only vampire you are with, and I know I ain't bad for you." Benny tried to pull Dean close, but the man wouldn't go.

"I was hired to do a job. Only it turns out Crowley was right, I wasn't very good at it." Dean snarled, "I let too many fall down, and I can't pick up those pieces."

"No but you gave everything, for all the rest, that counts for more than you realize." Benny tightened his grip, "No one here, not a one, doubts you."

"Oh there's one or two." Dean replied. Benny knew the man was talking about himself.

Benny sighed. "Let's get you into a shower and into bed. A little sobriety should bring you clarity." Benny shuffled Dean towards his room.

Dean got walking under his own steam, "Sure, Benny sounds good. Just let me be alone tonight, we can talk it all out tomorrow."

"I can stay. I don't expect anything, but I can keep the nightmares at bay." Benny smiled, hopeful.

Dean pressed his lips to Benny's jaw, "tomorrow." He walked into his room and shut the door.

******

It was Castiel who first saw the note on the bulletin board, held in place with a knife:

_I'm sorry I couldn't have done better for you._

No signature was needed. He also didn't need to check Dean's room, or the Impala's parking stall.

He did however have to organize the situation. And tell Benny.

But he didn't have to tell Benny. Benny knew from one look at the angel's face that Dean was gone.

He sat down on the steps of the porch. Sprocket sat beside him.

Sprocket let out a mournful wail.

Benny had nothing to add.

 


	13. Your Smile Won't Fix it (Well, Maybe it Will)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dean's been running. Maybe it's time to stop.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here is the end. I hope that you've enjoyed this story. It was a different experience to write in comparison to my other stuff, but I think it generally came out well. Thanks for reading.

_6 months later_

Benny was in the kitchen preparing lunch, humming idly to himself. He froze at the flutter of wings. Then the scariest sentence he had ever heard was said:

"Mr. Lafitte, it is time for our semi-annual board meeting." Benny held back a shudder, it got worse. "I will summon Crowley. Be in the library in 10 minutes." Naomi walked away, fingers holding files securely.

Benny didn't hesitate, he ran. He ran up to Castiel and Balthazar's room and barely knocked before barging in. He didn't even register that Cas was tied down, and being sucked by Balth. They yelled at the interruption. Benny didn't care, "Naomi called a meeting with the whole board."

That was enough to wilt the other's desire. With Gabriel gone there had been a bit of a vacuum of power at the management level. After the Michael debacle, the angels decided to step in. They sent Naomi. She was efficient, practical and terrifying. She instituted quarterly reviews and now apparently would be in a room with Crowley. Benny shouldn't be handling this, it wasn't his job.

But it was. Dean had left, left them. No one wanted anyone else. When Naomi tried to put a new caretaker in place, the whole of the sanctuary rose up in protest. The job was Dean's, he was just on a really long vacation. In his stead, everyone looked to Benny for help. Naomi had mutter about foxes and henhouses, but Cas offered his assistance and Benny stepped up. He avoided Dean's room, just did his job as best he could. But the place felt a little empty still, a piece of its heart missing.

Naomi's words though were enough. Benny was done with this bullshit. If he had to sit and listen to Naomi and Crowley yell at each other again, he was going off the wagon. "Cas, I'm done. We're all done. Find him."

Balth untied Cas. "He's right." Cas looked for more. Balth explained, "He ran because he felt weak, like he let us all down. He didn't, but that is what he believes. You need to find him and bring him home."

"It invades his privacy." Cas said. "He wanted gone."

"Yeah, well we don't always get what we want." Balth explained, rolling his shoulders. He still had phantom wing pain sometimes.

Benny added, "But sometimes you get what you need."

Balthazar smirked. Cas said, "I don't understand that reference."

"Balth, try to educate him on more than sex will you." Benny complained.

"Pop culture is Dean's responsibility." Balth replied.

Cas just sighed, "What if he won't come back?"

"Just remind him he has a home Cas." Benny answered. He then shuddered, "Now I have to go talk about budgets. Uggghhhh"

******

Dean sat at the bar, in some town, and drank. He hadn't stayed longer than a week in a location since he took off, always feeling restless, out of place wherever he was. He just kept moving, not stopping, trying not to think. He called Sammy or Bobby ever couple weeks and hung up whenever they tried to get him to go back to the sanctuary. He sipped his whiskey. His feet were cakes in mud from the salt and burn he had done earlier. He had fallen back into hunting but was very careful to go after those doing harm, and maybe once or twice, or 7 times he had put the whisper of the sanctuary into someone's ear. He hoped it helped.

He signaled for another drink. Dean paused, glass midair. For the first time in months he said, "Personal space Cas."

Cas for once didn't step back. "It is time for you to come home Dean."

The glass finally made it to his lips. "Nah, I'm good."

Cas looked at his best friend, "You've lost weight, are drinking too much, and are clearly not sleeping."

"I said I'm fine."

"Bullshit." Cas replied. Dean raised a brow, the Cas he knew rarely swore, "Benny has managed as best he could, but he can't be you."

"Why is he managing. Another caretaker should have been placed by now." Dean was honestly confused.

"Naomi tried. The entire population of home refused. Nobody wants anyone but you." Cas put his hand on Dean's shoulder, "You are wanted at home. You are the best for the job."

Dean snorted, "Yeah right, I got people killed."

"Michael got people killed. Including yourself. You did everything you could."

"Wasn't enough. Gabriel sacrificed for me, stupid call on his part." Dean finished his drink.

Cas was suddenly tired of it all. His grip on Dean's shoulder changed from comforting to punishing. He pull Dean through the bar and into the back alley. He easily through Dean across the way and into the wall. He threw a shift punch and then crowded the caretaker against the wall, arm brutal on throat. "You're right it was a stupid call, if this is what you are doing with it. Yes Gabriel died for you, that was his choice, and instead of seeing it as the gift, the honour it was, the trust it placed in you to fulfill your duty, you use it to destroy yourself." He pulled him forward and slammed him back into the wall again, Dean's head smacking painfully. "You think you aren't good enough? Maybe you are right, but we don't give a fuck - we all want you back. You have friends, a family waiting for you and you want to throw it away because you feel sad and lost. You could be found if you just opened your damn eyes." He punched Dean again and let go. Dean crumpled to the ground. "You have everything, and are choosing nothing. You make yourself not worth the sacrifice."

With a flutter Cas was gone. Dean lay in the alley for hours.

_3 months later_

Dean would deny it if asked, but he was slowly making his way to the west coast. Maybe instead of 6 glasses of whiskey a night he was down to 3, maybe he was actually sleeping 4 or 5 hours at a stretch. Maybe he hoped it wasn't too late.

He had stopped in a small town in Wyoming on the rumours of mysterious deaths, but couldn't really find anything concrete. There were a good number of missing dog posters though around town. It was dusk and he was cutting through a small wooded area of a park when he heard the woman's cry. He ran in the direction of the sound. He saw her, clutching her stomach, blood oozing out from around the buried dagger.

"Please, I haven't done anything, please." She whimpered as she sank to the ground. A place on Dean's sternum flared just a bit. The magics were weakened by his long absence but still worked, proof he hadn't been replaced. Skinwalker.

He crept behind the three men closing in on her. "Hey guys, this looks a bit not good here."

They didn't turn to look at Dean, "You walk to keep walking pal, this doesn't concern you."

"A woman with a gut stab, pleading innocence seems like a concern to me." Dean started to edge around them.

"You don't get it, she's a monster." The one said, distracted by the sounding of Dean's shuffling feet.

"Nah, skinwalkers are pretty low down on the monster scale. You're killing a puppy here." Dean managed to place himself in front of the woman, and he had his gun in hand, quietly at his side.

One of the guys seemed more leader, "Monsters are monsters, now step out of our way. We're hunters, we know what we're doing." The three puffed up. To anyone else they might have looked intimidating.

Dean just smiled, "Yeah I'm a hunter too, and I'm telling you to walk away, right now."

The man snorted, sure in his strength and that of his companions, "Right, pretty guy like you, probably new to the game, ganked what one ghost and now consider yourself a hunter?" They all laughed. The woman lying in the dirt once again just said please.

"I'm Dean Winchester." Dean grinned.

The three men froze. "Neat, nice to know people have heard of me. Now how about you walk the fuck away right now. Or I kill you." Dean cocked the gun. The men left without another word.

Dean turned and knelt in the dirt. He brushed the hair off the woman's face. He knew there was no helping her. "I'm sorry."

She grabbed his hand, lips going pale, "In the bushes," she gestured dully, "there."

Dean leaned down and looked, there was a teeny pup, cowering, shivering. He reached a hand through and pulled it out. It started yelping, whining - terrified. He quickly brought it to its mom. The little pup snuffled his mother's neck and whined at the scent of blood. She motioned Dean over and as he bent down she scented his neck. "Keep my little one safe please." She nudged her pup into Dean's arms and the puppy crawled into Dean's arms, whining furiously. "His name is Cal." She pressed her hand to the pups scruff and was gone.

The puppy keened and with almost an explosion of fur, Dean was left holding a bawling toddler. "Shit." was all Dean could come up with.

_One month later_

"Reports, reports, I'm not a goddamn secretary. Why am I doing this?" Benny muttered to himself. He took a shot of blood and then a shot of whiskey. Charlie looked at him, "Because you love us." She batted her eyes at him and he couldn't help but snort. There was still a gaping hole in all their hearts, but they adjusted. When Cas had returned knuckles in blood, Benny had known Dean wasn't coming back. Balthazar had lead the angel back to their room and distracted him for a couple days. Benny through himself into Dean's job. Crowley had even offered to make it permanent, but he still held out hope. He was just about the only one to do so.

Charlie started talking about her latest online gaming conquest and Benny tuned her out. It worked for them.

There was a knock at the door. Benny sighed and pushed himself up to answer it. As he got halfway down the hall, Sprocket came running past and slammed herself into the door. "Should I be worried?" He asked. The hellhound just kept trying to break the door down. He managed to push her out of the way and pry the door open.

There was Dean holding a sleeping puppy, Impala in the background, duffel bag at his feet. "I understand this place is a sanctuary. There is one skinwalker and one slightly broken human who could use that comfort."

Dean tried for a charming grin, it faltered against his trembling fingers, clutching puppy fur tightly.

"We always have room." Benny swung the door open wider and Dean walked inside.


	14. Bonus Chapter: Art

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> the amazing meldarlin (the profound blade) had done a portrait of dean from this story a long time ago, can't believe i had never added it.


End file.
